Roger Waters and Annie Ernaux Lead Call for Cultural Boycott of Israel at Venice Film Festival

Prominent cultural figures including Nobel laureate Annie Ernaux, Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters, and director Céline Sciamma have signed an open letter urging the Venice Film Festival to implement a cultural boycott of Israel. The letter, published by the Venice4Palestine collective, demands the festival cease agreements with entities linked to the Israeli government and calls for the Palestinian flag to be displayed throughout the event.

The signatories advocate for transparency in all aspects of the film industry, from financing and co-productions to distribution, festivals, and sponsorships, and propose suspending all contracts with Israeli government-affiliated institutions. They describe the boycott as a pressure tool and a form of resistance. Other notable signatories include photographer Nan Goldin, screenwriter Paul Laverty, and Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri. The letter has garnered support from pro-Palestinian and BDS organizations in Italy and France.

This political controversy arises amid the ongoing war in Gaza, which is prominently reflected in the festival's artistic program. This year, two Palestinian films are featured officially, and the documentary "NAZA" by Yuval Avraham and Rachel Tzur, addressing the calculated killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, was added to the competition. Last year, the film "The Voice of Hind Rajab," also about Gaza, won the Silver Lion award after a 22-minute standing ovation. The Venice Film Festival has not yet responded to the boycott demands.