Palestine has once again become a prominent issue at the Venice Film Festival, with filmmakers and actors showing their support in the lead-up to the event and on its opening day.
More than 200 figures from the film and culture industries have backed an appeal from the Venice4Palestine collective, calling on organisers to take “concrete action in support of Palestine”. The open letter, issued before the festival got under way on Wednesday, comes a year after the group made a similar appeal during the 2025 event.
“One year after its first appeal, Venice4Palestine is once again calling on the Venice Biennale, the Venice International Film Festival and professionals across the film, audiovisual and cultural sectors to take concrete action in support of Palestine,” the collective said.
Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, musician Roger Waters, film stars Guy Pearce and Indya Moore and filmmaker Celine Sciamma are among those to sign the letter. The group is also calling for the Palestinian flag to be flown throughout the festival, alongside those representing other films in the official selection.
Two Palestinian films are being shown at Venice this year. Ahmed Hassouna’s Citizen Osama follows a photographer attempting to balance his responsibilities as a father and journalist while documenting life during the war in Gaza.
Muayad Alayan’s drama Conversation with the Sea, meanwhile, is set in Jerusalem and centres on a 60-year-old Palestinian man who becomes caught in a web of Israeli bureaucracy.
The letter also calls for greater transparency across the film industry and for agreements with bodies and institutions linked to the Israeli government to be suspended. While festival organisers have yet to publicly respond to the appeal, filmmakers and stars have already shown solidarity with Palestine at this year’s event.
Kaouther Ben Hania’s statement bag
The Voice of Hind Rajab director Kaouther Ben Hania, who is serving on this year’s competition jury, appeared to incorporate Palestinian symbolism into her red-carpet look.
The Tunisian filmmaker wore a sparkling gold gown while carrying a pale green rounded bag decorated with metallic olive branches.
The olive tree has long held significance in Palestinian culture, symbolising a connection to the land, as well as resilience and endurance.
Ben Hania has previously put Palestine at the centre of her work. Her 2025 film The Voice of Hind Rajab, which tells the story of the killing of the five-year-old Palestinian girl in Gaza, had its premiere in Venice last year and received a lengthy standing ovation.
George Clooney backs Mark Ruffalo
George Clooney has spoken in support of Mark Ruffalo’s right to criticise the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery merger and the Ellison family’s links to Israel.
Ruffalo has become one of the most outspoken opponents of the proposed $111 billion deal. Last month, the Marvel actor criticised the merger and Oracle’s business ties with Israel. Paramount later accused him of invoking anti-Semitic tropes, a claim Ruffalo rejected.
More than 170 Jewish artists, academics and public figures later signed an open letter defending the actor and warning against attempts to silence criticism of Israel.
Speaking in Venice before receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, Clooney said he supported Ruffalo’s right to express his views, even if he did not necessarily agree with them. “I support Mark Ruffalo’s ability to speak freely,” Clooney said. “I believe in free speech, even when I completely disagree with it. That’s important, right? In fact, it’s part of how a democracy works.
“I will always support Mark Ruffalo’s ability to speak freely. I like him. He’s a good man.”
Watermelon symbol
Support for Palestine was also visible during the lead-up to the festival.
Italian actress Greta Scarano appeared at a photocall on Tuesday carrying a large fan inspired by a watermelon – a symbol that has long been associated with Palestinian identity and resistance because its red, green, black and white colours mirror those of the Palestinian flag.
Scarano is among those to sign the Venice4Palestine appeal.
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