Venice Reverses Decision to Cancel Jury Press Conference After Backlash
The Venice Film Festival has reinstated its traditional opening jury press conference, reversing a decision to cancel the event due to a 'scheduling conflict.' The reversal followed significant backlash from the press and advocacy groups, particularly after Deadline reported the omission from the festival schedule. The festival, which opens September 2, 2026, is facing heightened political scrutiny regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict, with a new open letter from Venice4Palestine demanding concrete action and the display of the Palestinian flag. The jury, led by Maggie Gyllenhaal, includes Kaouther Ben Hania, Daniel Blumberg, Francesco Casetti, Xavier Giannoli, Shahrbanoo Sadat, and Johnnie To.