Who's afraid of film festivals? Venice braces for impact
Who's afraid of film festivals? Venice is bracing for impact after politics rattled Berlin and shook up Cannes, with ongoing wars in the Middle East and Ukraine turning the global festival circuit into a political minefield for artists, jurors, and programmers. Biennale president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco is sparring with the European Commission over Russia and Israel pavilion participation, while artistic director Alberto Barbera calls this year's Lido lineup the most political in recent years.
Key Takeaways
- Berlin jury president Wim Wenders drew fierce backlash for saying directors should "stay out of politics," forcing artistic director Tricia Tuttle to issue a formal statement.
- Cannes saw thousands sign a petition against Vincent Bolloré's ideological influence, plus a firestorm over juror Demi Moore's AI remarks.
- Venice faces EU funding cuts of $2.3 million over Russia pavilion participation and heated debate over Israeli and Palestinian films.
- The festival will screen the first AI-made movie at a top-tier fest — "Be Brave" — fueling an industry debate also raised in Cannes.
What happened at Berlin and Cannes?
At February's Berlin Film Festival, jury president Wim Wenders came under fire after telling press that film directors should "stay out of politics" while fielding questions about Israel and Palestine. Author Arundhati Roy pulled out in anger, and Tuttle had to issue a formal statement as a media storm threatened the event.
In Cannes, thousands of film professionals — including Javier Bardem, Mark Ruffalo, and Ken Loach — signed a petition blasting the ideological influence of billionaire Vincent Bolloré, majority shareholder of Canal+. Audiences booed Canal+ and StudioCanal logos in credits. Juror Demi Moore then sparked an online firestorm by saying fighting AI was "a battle that we will lose."
Why is Venice facing political heat before opening?
Political discourse hit the Lido months ahead of the festival. In April, the Biennale art exhibition was slammed for allowing Russia and Israel to mount pavilion shows. The European Commission pulled $2.3 million in funding, with an EU spokesperson telling Variety that European taxpayers' money "should safeguard democratic values" not respected in "today's Russia."
Buttafuoco blasted Brussels for a double standard, noting the EU gave Vladimir Putin $5.9 billion in liquefied natural gas contracts in six months while cutting Biennale funds. Barbera agrees selection should be based on quality alone: "If we had received a good submission from Russia, the only criteria we would have applied is the quality of the film."
How political is Venice's 2026 lineup?
Barbera said the July 23 lineup reflects "wars, of course; Palestine; immigration; climate change; growing social tensions; and the shrinking spaces of freedom." Venice opens with Danny Boyle's "Ink," about Rupert Murdoch's rise via British tabloid The Sun — produced by Bolloré-controlled StudioCanal. Alex Gibney's four-hour "Musk" documentary is among standouts poised to push political hot buttons.
Films span Ali Asgari's "A Bit of Light" about a dissident doctor in Tehran, Ahmed Hassouna's Gaza-set "Citizen Osama," Julia Loktev's exiled Russian journalist doc, and Amos Gitai's "The Road to Jericho." "Naza," from "No Other Land" directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, was added Monday and is expected to spark heat over Israel's conduct in Gaza.
Can festivals keep politics from overshadowing the films?
Publicist Jonathan Rutter warns politics can overshadow even non-political titles when media chase "prickly political sound bites for clickbait." Last year's jury president Alexander Payne faced backlash after awarding the Golden Lion to Jim Jarmusch's "Father Mother Sister Brother" over Gaza-set "The Voice of Hind Rajab." Barbera insists Venice remains "a space open to dialogue and discussion between artists and creatives." Track more entertainment flashpoints in our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Will AI debates dominate Venice too?
In a first among top film festivals, Venice includes a movie made entirely with AI: Francesco Carrozzini's "Be Brave," a portrait of Diesel founder Renzo Rosso. Barbera called it an invitation to explore how AI "can open up new creative possibilities," saying festivals must tackle the topic beyond prevailing prejudices — a debate Cannes already ignited through Demi Moore's remarks.