International artists at Venice Film Festival call for concrete steps in support of Palestine

ROME, Aug. 29 (YPA) – Dozens of artists and intellectuals from Italy and around the world have addressed an open letter to the Venice Biennale and the Venice Film Festival, urging them to take practical action against what they describe as “genocide” in Gaza, asserting that symbolic solidarity is no longer sufficient.

Signatories include Roger Waters, Annie Ernaux, Guy Pearce, directors Isabelle Koechette and Céline Sciamma, Matteo Garrone, and Palestinian directors Arab and Tarzan Nasser.

The Venice for Palestine initiative called for the Palestinian flag to be raised throughout the festival and urged cultural institutions to exert pressure to stop the violations against Palestinians and not to treat what is happening in Gaza as a passing crisis.

The initiative also includes a panel discussion on September 8 entitled “And Gaza Is Still Burning” to discuss the continuation of the war and the role of the arts community in supporting the Palestinian cause.