At Venice Film Festival, politics take center stage
With works about Gaza, Ukraine and Elon Musk, political cinema is in the spotlight at the 2026 Venice Film Festival.
The Venice Film Festival, once known for its prestigious atmosphere, has shifted its focus to politics and political cinema in the current edition. This year's festival, set to begin on September 2, features a range of films exploring topics such as the Murdoch media empire, Israel-Gaza conflict, Russia's war on Ukraine, the CIA-backed coup in Chile, and the world's richest man.
The artistic director, Alberto Barbera, has dubbed this year's edition as the most political in the festival's history. Some films, like Julia Loktev's "My Undesirable Friends Part II - Exile," Alex Gibney's "Musk," and Laura Poitras' "They're Here," have already sparked controversy due to their politically charged subject matter.
The festival has embraced this shift, welcoming films that directly address controversial issues, much like the controversial premiere of Kaouther Ben Hania's "The Voice of Hind Rajab," which received a 22-minute standing ovation for its depiction of the killing of a 5-year-old Palestinian girl. Despite some protests, Barbera has remained steadfast in his commitment to programming politically charged films, dismissing criticism as a "smear campaign."
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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