Gal Gadot skips Venice Film Festival amid Gaza protests
- Gal Gadot will not appear at the Venice Film Festival due to protests and calls for her ban.
- More than 1,500 Italian cinema professionals have demanded that supporters of Israel be excluded from the event.
- The Venice Film Festival will see protests aimed at highlighting the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
In Italy, as the 82nd Venice Film Festival approaches, there are significant protests concerning the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Activists have organized demonstrations, aiming to focus attention on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza rather than on the festival's glamour. Italian cinema professionals, numbering more than 1,500, signed a letter demanding that the festival ban participants who support Israel, including Israeli actress Gal Gadot and Scottish actor Gerard Butler. This initiative, known as Venice4Palestine, is calling for a stronger stance against the alleged war crimes occurring in Gaza. Despite the protests, the festival's director, Alberto Barbera, stated that the Biennale does not take political stances and remains open to discussion about the situation in Palestine. Although earlier reports suggested that Gadot would not attend due to the backlash, Barbera clarified that she was never planning to be present at the festival. The festival is set to showcase Gadot's film, 'In the Hand of Dante,' which is in the running for out-of-competition viewings. Additionally, various other films will highlight Palestinian experiences amid the broader context of the conflict, which has seen escalating violence and casualties in recent months. As the festival kicks off, protests are scheduled and the sentiments surrounding the situation in Gaza will dominate the event, marking a notable shift in the narrative surrounding one of cinema’s most prestigious gatherings.