Mass demonstrations opposing the Israeli blockade of Gaza take place nearby the Venice Film Festival
In the picturesque city of Venice, the serene atmosphere was disrupted by a powerful demonstration organized by left-wing political groups in northeast Italy. The demonstration, which began a few kilometers from the venue of the Venice Film Festival, was a call to action against the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
The focus of the protest was the United Nations' declaration of a famine in the territory of nearly two million people, caused by Israel's blockade on Gaza. This blockade has resulted in a tragic toll, with Israel invading Gaza nearly two years ago and killing at least 63,025 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that the UN considers reliable.
The protesters marched towards the entrance of the Venice Film Festival, waving Palestinian flags and carrying signs that read, "You are all an audience to genocide." One of the signs, held by a participant, read, "The Voice of Hind Rajab," a reference to a film about a six-year-old Palestinian girl killed in January 2024 by Israeli forces alongside six family members while trying to flee Gaza City.
The controversy over Gaza has become a major talking point at the Venice Film Festival, with an open letter denouncing the Israeli government and calling for a stronger stance against the war. The letter, drafted by a group called Venice4Palestine, has garnered more than 2,000 signatures from film professionals, including the director of "Frankenstein," Guillermo del Toro. A similar initiative was organized at the Cannes Film Festival in May.
The film project "The Voice of Hind Rajab" was supported as executive producers by Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Alfonso Cuarón, Jonathan Glazer, Dede Gardner, and Jeremy Kleiner. The protesters called on the film industry to focus attention on Gaza at the Venice Film Festival.
Israeli actor Gal Gador and Britain's Gerard Butler were asked to be disinvited, but were not expected to attend the festival. However, the Hollywood stars George Clooney, Julia Roberts, and Emma Stone have attended the Venice Film Festival recently.
Maryam Touzani, a Moroccan filmmaker, made her stance clear on the red carpet, holding up a sign saying "Stop the Genocide in Gaza." Lozzi, a representative of Venice4Palestine, defended the proposed boycott, stating it was "essential that we make our voices heard" regarding the situation in Gaza.
The Venice Film Festival has stated it would not disinvite actors who have supported Israeli actions in Gaza. The Netflix-produced film "Frankenstein" is one of 21 movies in the main competition vying for the festival's top prize, the Golden Lion. The controversy over Gaza is not expected to end soon, with the premiere of "The Voice of Hind Rajab" set for the main competition next week.
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