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

The Venice Film Festival opened with directors and Hollywood celebrities renewing their support for Palestine. Over 200 figures from the film and culture industries backed an appeal from the Venice4Palestine collective, urging organizers to take concrete action in support of Palestine. This year marks one year since the group made a similar appeal during the 2025 event.

Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, musician Roger Waters, actors Guy Pearce and Indya Moore, and filmmaker Celine Sciamma are among those who signed the open letter. The collective also called for the Palestinian flag to be flown throughout the festival, alongside others representing official selections. This year, two Palestinian films are being shown at Venice: Ahmed Hassouna's Citizen Osama and Muayad Alayan's Conversation with the Sea.

The letter emphasizes the need for greater transparency in the film industry and suspends agreements with bodies and institutions linked to the Israeli government. While organizers have not yet publicly responded to the appeal, filmmakers and stars have shown their solidarity. Kaouther Ben Hania, a competition jury member for this year's festival, incorporated Palestinian symbolism into her red-carpet look, wearing a sparkling gold gown with a bag decorated with metallic olive branches.

George Clooney expressed support for Mark Ruffalo's right to criticize the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery merger and the Ellison family's ties to Israel. Clooney stressed the importance of free speech, even if it differs from his personal views. During the lead-up to the festival, Italian actress Greta Scarano carried a watermelon-inspired fan, symbolizing Palestinian identity and resistance.