Venice Film Festival Kicks Off Amid Intense Protests Over Gaza Genocide
(MENAFN) The 82nd Venice Film Festival kicked off Wednesday amid intense protests as activists and filmmakers seized the global stage to condemn what they call Israel’s genocide in Gaza.
At Venice Lido, demonstrators displayed banners declaring “Free Palestine” and “Stop the genocide” right in front of the red carpet, where international celebrities were expected to arrive, according to a local news agency.
"We are facing a full-blown genocide, and we can no longer deny it. The atrocities must be stopped now," declared Martina Vergnano, spokesperson for the protest group.
The activists also announced plans for a rally on Sunday afternoon at the Lido, aiming to march toward the festival grounds.
On Thursday, a coalition of hundreds of Italian and global cinema figures signed an open letter under the banner Venice4Palestine (V4P).
The letter demands that both the festival and its parent organization, the Biennale, 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.”
Since October 2023, Israel has killed nearly 63,000 Palestinians in Gaza. The enclave’s 2.4 million residents have suffered under Israel’s full blockade, in effect since early March, resulting in catastrophic famine, widespread disease, and the collapse of vital infrastructure.
Last November, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, charging them with war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel is also facing a genocide lawsuit at the International Court of Justice linked to its military actions in the enclave.
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