Venice Festival Director Defends Lineup Choices Amid Calls for Political Stance

At a cocktail reception ahead of the 83rd edition, Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera addressed mounting expectations for the event to adopt a clear political position, noting that several programmed films touch on Gaza, Palestine, Ukraine and other sensitive issues. He stressed that the festival and the Biennale will not make partisan statements, emphasizing their role as a venue for unrestricted artistic expression.

Barbera refuted claims of an Israeli boycott, stating that only a single Israeli film was submitted and it was not selected because it did not meet quality standards. He added that the festival would have been prepared for any backlash had a Russian or Israeli film of merit been included. The director also revealed that Vincent Gallo’s latest film starring James Franco was close to being programmed out of competition, but Gallo withdrew because he wanted a competition slot. Barbera pointed to Venice’s reputation for defending creative freedom, which he believes allows it to host controversial works that other festivals might avoid.