Venice Film Festival opens as directors and Hollywood stars renew support for Palestine

The Venice Film Festival has opened once again, this time with a renewed focus on supporting Palestine. Over 200 figures from the film and cultural industries have signed an appeal from the Venice4Palestine collective, urging organizers to take concrete action in support of Palestine. The open letter, issued prior to the festival's start on Wednesday, marks a year since the group made a similar call during the 2025 event.

Among the signatories are Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, musician Roger Waters, actors Guy Pearce and Indya Moore, and filmmaker Celine Sciamma. The collective is also demanding that the Palestinian flag be flown throughout the festival, alongside the official selection's participating films. Two Palestinian films will be showcased at this year's event: Ahmed Hassouna's Citizen Osama, and Muayad Alayan's Conversation with the Sea.

While festival organizers have yet to publicly respond, several filmmakers and stars have already shown their solidarity. Kaouther Ben Hania, serving on this year's competition jury, incorporated Palestinian symbolism into her red-carpet attire. She wore a sparkling gold gown with a pale green bag adorned with metallic olive branches, a symbol deeply rooted in Palestinian culture representing resilience and endurance.

Veteran actor George Clooney also lent his support to Mark Ruffalo's critique of the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery merger and the Ellison family's ties to Israel. Clooney emphasized the importance of free speech, even when opinions differ, during his acceptance speech for the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Additionally, Italian actress Greta Scarano carried a watermelon-inspired fan during a photocall, a symbol representing Palestinian identity and resistance.