Venice Chief Alberto Barbera On Apple’s ‘Wolfs’ Strategy, The Petition Calling For A Boycott Of Israeli Films & Journalists’ Ire Over The Lack Of Talent Access

Andreas Wiseman

September 3, 2024 at 2:31 AM·5 min read

EXCLUSIVE: As Venice ticks past its halfway point we sat down with festival head Alberto Barbera to reflect on what has been a buzzy, starry festival so far, as well as on some of the tensions that have been simmering below the surface.

Most of the bigger titles here have been well-received so far. Movies like The Brutalist and I’m Still Here have been particularly praised, while Angelina Jolie and Nicole Kidman drew strong notices for their performances in Maria and Babygirl, respectively. Bigger Out of Competition movies such as Wolfs, The Order and September 5 have also had their fair share of positive reviews, as did Apple’s big-budget series Disclaimer.

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We’ve heard good things about anticipated movies coming this week including Joker: Folie A Deux, Queer, April and the series M. Son Of the Century.

At such a busy time, Barbera didn’t have long, but we touched on the reactions to the films so far, Apple’s decision to curtail the theatrical release of Wolfs, Joaquin Phoenix’s press availability for Joker: Folie A Deux, and three petitions that have garnered attention: two about the Israel-Palestine conflict and one about a lack of talent access on the Lido and other festivals.

DEADLINE: How are you feeling about the response to the films so far? There has been a lot of positivity in the English-language media, at least. Not many stinkers so far!

BARBERA: So far so good, I would say. It has been very positive…

DEADLINE: We’ve just had the premiere of Wolfs, which was a very hot ticket last night. At the press conference, George Clooney mentioned his disappointment over Apple curtailing the film’s theatrical run. Were you also surprised at that decision?

BARBERA: Yes, it’s a shame. The movie is a real crowd-pleaser, so why not give it a chance? It’s strange. It seems like Apple is rethinking its strategy when it comes to film investment. We’ll see where it goes.

DEADLINE: Joker: Folie A Deux is playing on Wednesday, which is relatively late. Why is that?

BARBERA: It’s entirely their [Warner Bros’] choice. They asked me for that slot and I was glad because our first days are usually very busy with big movies so it’s nice to be able to spread it out. When Luca [Queer director Luca Guadagnino] heard that Joker would be on Wednesday, he said he’d love to play on Tuesday, and Almodovar’s team asked for Monday. This is how these things go. There are always scheduling issues around talent and other factors.

DEADLINE: Do you know whether Joaquin Phoenix will be doing press this week for Joker: Folie A Deux?

BARBERA: I haven’t heard anything to the contrary. I believe he’ll be at the press conference…

DEADLINE: Some have noted that a starry, well-received movie like September 5 is not in Competition, neither are the three Israeli and Palestinian films, and neither is Conclave, which isn’t at the festival but was expected to be here and we understand was offered a slot Out of Competition. Is there any connection to be drawn that these potentially politically sensitive projects aren’t in Competition here?

BARBERA: Absolutely none. Each film is their own specific case. I liked Conclave. I didn’t think it was a Competition film for Venice but I invited it Out of Competition. We tried to figure out timing for it to play here and at Telluride, which they also wanted, but we couldn’t find the right dates and timing for it to work. We discussed various options but couldn’t get the time that suited everyone. It’s a shame. I liked the movie and there is a strong connection with the subject and Italy…With September 5, I loved it. I wanted it here at the festival but didn’t see it as a Competition film either. I told them I’d try to give it as much support as possible. But there is really no political issue around these choices…

DEADLINE: On the eve of the festival a petition came to light signed by more than 300 filmmakers from around the world calling for the Israeli films at Venice to be boycotted. The petition claimed that those films and filmmakers were in some way complicit in what is unfolding in Gaza. The signatories also condemned the Venice Film Festival for what it called its “silence” over “Israel’s atrocities against the Palestinian people.” What do you say to those filmmakers?

BARBERA: Have you seen any major film festival ‘take a side’ in this conflict? We are a space open to everyone and to people with different political views. We show films that highlight different views on all sorts of issues. I don’t want to take sides and I can’t make such public statements for the festival in my role as festival director. I have my own personal views. My own personal view is that Netanyahu [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] is a criminal. Many of the Israeli population feel the same. There are demonstrations to that effect every week…

DEADLINE: What happened on October 7 and has unfolded since has been tragic in so many ways…Another high-profile petition launched just before Venice by Arab and Palestinian filmmakers decried what it called “erasure, dehumanization and censorship” of Palestinians and what is happening in Palestine, particularly by Hollywood. Do you recognise the sentiment of that petition that there is a lack of support for the plight of Palestinians given the scale of the loss of life and humanitarian crisis unfolding there?

BARBERA: I think we’ve seen many Pro-Palestinian demonstrations all over the world, but hardly any for the hostages. We must not forget the massacre that took place which sparked this conflict. Of course, I understand filmmakers signing a petition in support of Palestinians and the awful, painful position of the population there, especially the children. It’s hard to even think about it. What Netanyahu is doing in Gaza is a war crime, and so was October 7… But we wouldn’t ever withdraw a film on ideological grounds. The films that were asked to be withdrawn by the 300 filmmakers are not anti-Palestinian films in any way, quite the opposite…

DEADLINE: Yet another petition that has had attention here is from freelance journalists who are unhappy about the lack of access to talent here and at other festivals. They claim that films and talent may be boycotted in future if access doesn’t improve. It’s true that a number of sizeable films here haven’t made talent (or filmmakers) available for junkets or any press in some cases. What do you make of that situation?

BARBERA: I’m aware of the problem but it’s largely beyond our control. We will reflect and discuss this issue right after the festival. This is quite new for us. I think it has happened at other festivals but I fear it will only become more of an issue going forward. There are some big companies undergoing big changes and it may be difficult to convince the studios to go back to how it was. It’s not only that studios don’t want to have to ask talent to spend so much time doing press, but there’s also a cost factor associated with junkets: renting space, studios, equipment, keeping talent around for longer etc. I think this is part of the collateral damage from the transformational changes within the industry.

DEADLINE: Do you intend to speak to the studios about it?

BARBERA: I will. I will try to help find a solution, but I don’t think it will be easy.

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Venice Chief Alberto Barbera On Apple’s ‘Wolfs’ Strategy, The Petition Calling For A Boycott Of Israeli Films & Journalists’ Ire Over The Lack Of Talent Access