Venice Film Festival jury presser to go on despite cancelation rumors it’s become political minefield

The show will go on at the Venice Film Festival. But the players may be wary of their lines! 

The fest says it hasn’t scrapped its usual opening press conference with its jury — being headed this year by Maggie Gyllenhaal — after trade reports over the weekend said that Venice brass were considering ditching the presser due to a mysterious “scheduling conflict.”

That seemed odd, especially since press conferences at international fests from Berlin to Cannes have become minefields for filmmakers and stars to become inadvertently embroiled in thorny public debates on issues from Israel to AI.

Fest watchers wondered if Venice was trying to protect its jurors from getting into unforeseen hot water.  Last year, jury president Alexander Payne said he felt “unprepared” to answer a question about Gaza at the opening Q&A. 

At the Berlin Film Festival this year, everyone was seemingly asked about Gaza. “I have no context for that question,” Ethan Hawke said, sidestepping the question. But Hawke and the reporter who asked it both drew backlash on social media in a no-win situation.

Deadline reported that Venice was replacing the press conference this year with a “more relaxed welcome cocktail” instead.

But, allegedly, all the buzz from the trades’ reports that the press conference was being canceled caused the fest to backtrack and go through with it.

The press conferences at international fests typically generate the most viral sound bites, but certain reporters try to goad talent on hot-button topics. Stay tuned! 

The fest starts Sept. 2.