During the Venice Film Festival, a significant protest emerged on the Lido, advocating for Palestine and condemning the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Protest in Support of Palestine at Venice Film Festival
A large protest gathered today on the Lido during the Venice Film Festival in support of Palestine and to denounce Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza.
Gathering of Demonstrators
Hundreds gathered for the event, which was largely made up of local political and grassroots groups, but also included some accredited festival guests. The protestors assembled on the main Santa Maria Elisabetta avenue by the Lido’s main boat station (one mile from the festival hub) and aimed to walk to the festival center to bring attention to their cause and urge the festival to issue a statement condemning what they described as Israeli genocide in Gaza.
Peaceful Protest Observed
Deadline observed the start of the protest, which was peaceful in nature and included participants of all ages, including families.
“At a time when the eyes of the world will be on Venice and the Film Festival, we have a duty to amplify the voices of those who are outraged and rebelling: let us therefore turn the spotlight of the Festival on Palestine,” the organizers stated earlier this week.
Police Presence and Restrictions
90 minutes after the march began, however, there was still no sign of the protestors at the festival center. Police present on the Lido informed us that protestors would not be allowed into the festival area on safety grounds.
World Premiere Amidst Protests
This evening’s world premiere of Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein is about to kick off. Those on the red carpet may even hear or see helicopters overhead. From this reporter’s hotel near the Santa Maria Elisabetta station, protestors’ chants can still be heard through loudspeakers, indicating they have not ventured far from the march’s starting point.
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Organizers’ Intentions
Earlier in the week, organizers expressed that the intention of the march was to “shine the spotlight of the film festival in the right direction,” noting likely involvement from cinema industry workers at the event.
Call for Action from Cinema Professionals
Last weekend, an open letter was signed by hundreds of Italian cinema professionals gathered under the banner of Venice4Palestine (V4P). They called on the Venice Film Festival, its parent body, the Biennale, and the independent parallel sections of Giornate degli Autori and the International Critics’ Week, “to be more courageous and clear in condemning the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing across Palestine carried out by the Israeli government and army.”
We’ll report back if there are any significant updates.
