Sun Aug 31 01:42:26 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
Amidst the glitz and glamour of the 2025 Venice Film Festival, thousands of protesters gathered to voice their outrage against Israel’s siege of Gaza. Organized by left-wing groups, the demonstration aimed to highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, with protesters urging the film industry to use its platform to raise awareness. The demonstration was spurred by an open letter, signed by over 2,000 film professionals, including Guillermo del Toro, under the banner of “Venice4Palestine.”
**News Article:**
**Gaza Protests Disrupt Venice Film Festival**
**Venice, Italy – August 31, 2025** – The 82nd Venice Film Festival, known for its celebration of cinema, was met with a powerful demonstration against Israel’s ongoing siege of Gaza on Saturday. Thousands of protesters, estimated between three and four thousand, marched near the festival grounds, waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans like “Stop the Genocide!” and “Free Palestine!”
The demonstration, organized by left-wing political groups in northeast Italy, coincided with the world premiere of the Hollywood blockbuster *Frankenstein*, and brought renewed attention to the plight of Palestinians in Gaza. Demonstrators urged the entertainment industry to leverage its influence to address the dire humanitarian situation.
“The entertainment industry has the advantage of being followed a lot, and so they should take a position on Gaza,” said Marco Ciotola, a protester at the rally.
The protest was fueled by an open letter drafted by “Venice4Palestine,” a group co-founded by director Fabiomassimo Lozzi. The letter, which has garnered over 2,000 signatures from film professionals, including *Frankenstein* director Guillermo del Toro, calls on the festival to condemn the Gaza war more forcefully.
“We are amazed at the amount of reaction,” Lozzi told AFP, highlighting the widespread support within the film industry.
Earlier in the festival, Moroccan filmmaker Maryam Touzani made a statement on the red carpet, holding a sign that read “Stop the Genocide in Gaza.”
The festival previously stated that it would not disinvite actors who have supported Israeli’s actions in Gaza, despite calls for a boycott of Israeli actor Gal Gadot and Britain’s Gerard Butler, both who were not expected to attend.
The issue of Gaza will remain present at the festival as Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s *The Voice of Hind Rajab*, a film about a Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces, is set to premiere next week. Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Alfonso Cuaron and Jonathan Glazer are executive producers.
The protest serves as a reminder that real-world issues can intersect with the glamorous world of entertainment, prompting reflection and calls for action on pressing global matters.
First Piper 