Demonstrations at the Venice Film Festival
The Venice Film Festival was the focus of a great demonstration on Saturday, August 30, against Israel’s war in Gaza. Thousands of protesters marched from the Lido to the Festival’s Palazzo del Cinema, making it the largest demonstration at a film festival.
The Protest
In the middle of a strong police presence, with helicopters flying overhead, the demonstrators were prevented from accessing the main area of the festival, including the red carpet. The protest took place shortly before the world premiere of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, starring Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Oscar Isaac, but did not disturb the red carpet.
A Peaceful but Loud Protest
The protest, which was loud but peaceful, included local Venetians and some festival delegates. One participant estimated that around 2,000 people were on the march. The protest was organized by political and grassroots organizations from Venice and beyond.
Organizers’ Statement
In a statement released in advance, the organizers said that the Venice Film Festival should "not remain isolated from reality, but offer a space to denounce the genocide being carried out by Israel, with the complicity of Western governments, and offer specific support to the Palestinian people."
The March
The meeting began before the main station of the Waterbus on the Lido and drove up the main street of the island to the festival. The march follows a smaller demonstration on the first day of the festival. Despite the large police presence, the protest remained peaceful, with demonstrators making their voices heard against Israel’s war in Gaza.
