Venice Film Festival Opens as Stars and Directors Rally in Support of Palestine

Palestine has once again emerged as a prominent focus at the Venice Film Festival, with actors and filmmakers demonstrating their support during the opening day and the lead-up to the event. More than 200 figures spanning the film and culture industries have endorsed an appeal organized by the Venice4Palestine collective, urging festival organizers to implement concrete measures in support of Palestine. Released ahead of the festival's Wednesday launch, the open letter follows a similar appeal made by the group during the 2025 event.

Signatories of the letter include Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, musician Roger Waters, film stars Guy Pearce and Indya Moore, and filmmaker Celine Sciamma. The collective is advocating for the Palestinian flag to be flown alongside those representing other films in the official selection. This year, two Palestinian films are featured in the lineup: Ahmed Hassouna's Citizen Osama, which follows a photographer balancing fatherhood and journalism during the war in Gaza, and Muayad Alayan's drama Conversation with the Sea, set in Jerusalem and centered on a 60-year-old Palestinian man navigating Israeli bureaucracy.

The letter also demands greater transparency across the film industry and the suspension of agreements with bodies and institutions connected to the Israeli government. Although festival organizers have yet to formally respond, participants have displayed visible solidarity. Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania, serving on this year's competition jury, incorporated Palestinian symbolism into her red-carpet appearance by carrying a pale green rounded bag adorned with metallic olive branches, complementing her sparkling gold gown. Ben Hania's previous film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, premiered at Venice last year to a lengthy standing ovation.

Meanwhile, George Clooney voiced support for Mark Ruffalo's right to criticize the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery merger and the Ellison family's connections to Israel. Ruffalo has been an outspoken opponent of the $111 billion deal, leading Paramount to accuse him of invoking anti-Semitic tropes—a claim the actor rejected. Over 170 Jewish artists, academics, and public figures subsequently signed a letter defending Ruffalo. Speaking in Venice prior to receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, Clooney emphasized his commitment to free speech, stating that he supports Ruffalo's ability to express his views even when disagreeing with them.

Visible support for Palestine also appeared prior to the festival's official opening. Italian actress Greta Scarano attended a photocall carrying a large fan inspired by a watermelon, a long-standing symbol of Palestinian identity and resistance whose colors mirror those of the Palestinian flag. Scarano is among the signatories of the Venice4Palestine appeal.