Hundreds of Global Film Activists Demand Addressing Tel Aviv’s Crimes
According to the English section of webangah News agency, citing Mehr News Agency, filmmakers, actors, and cinema activists globally have published an open letter addressed to the Venice Biennale and Film Festival. They urge institutions in cinema, art, culture, and education to take a bolder and more direct stance in condemning the ongoing genocide in Gaza and ethnic cleansing across palestine carried out by the Zionist regime.
Signatories include British filmmaker Ken Loach; Italian actor Toni servillo-star of Venice 2025’s opening film-and Paolo Sorrentino’s film La grazia; Italian actress-director Alba Rohrwacher; French director Céline Sciamma; British actor Audrey Diwan; Charles Dance; as well as Palestinian directing duo Arab Nasser and Tarzan Nasser, who recently won Best Director in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section for their latest film Once Upon a Time in Gaza.
The group highlighted that nearly 250 Palestinian media workers have been killed since hostilities began in Gaza. They called on artistic bodies to play a critical role in raising awareness and fostering resistance.
The letter states: “As attention turns toward the Venice Film Festival, we face yet another major event indifferent to this humanitarian, civil, and political disaster. We are told that ‘the show must go on’-asked to look away-as if ‘the world of film’ has no connection with ‘the real world.'”
It continues: “For once,this show must stop. We must halt this tide of indifference and open a path toward awareness. Cinema cannot exist without humanity.”
The letter calls on the festival to host events highlighting Palestinian narratives and establish an ongoing forum for discussions addressing ethnic cleansing, apartheid, illegal occupation of Palestinian territories, colonialism, and other crimes against humanity committed by Tel Aviv-not only since October 7 but over decades prior.
In response, the Venice Biennale stated: “Throughout its history, the Venice Festival has always been a place for free debate sensitive to all urgent issues facing society and our world-a fact most clearly shown by its program.” the festival noted that Sound of Hind rajab-a true drama by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania about a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in 2024-will be screened this year within Venice’s competitive lineup.
Italy’s state news agency ANSA reported extensively on this open letter penned by hundreds representing Italian and global cinema communities. Many signatories will showcase their works at Lido (the festival venue), under ”V4P” (Venice for Palestine) banner.
The 82nd International Venice Film Festival runs from august 27 until September 6.
