Venice Film Festival chief Alberto Barbera speaks on Gaza protests

Venice Film Festival chief Alberto Barbera said the festival had made a “very strong” statement against the war in Gaza. (Getty Images)
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Updated 01 September 2025
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Venice Film Festival chief Alberto Barbera speaks on Gaza protests

  • Thousands of anti-war protesters attended a march at the festival at the weekend

DUBAI: Venice Film Festival chief Alberto Barbera spoke to Deadline magazine at the midway point of the famed Italian event and touched on the ongoing Israeli military campaign in Gaza and related protests in Venice.

Thousands of anti-war protesters attended a march on Saturday, with Barbera telling Deadline the protesters did not wish to enter the festival grounds.

“They didn’t want to enter. I think around 30 people tried. I asked the organizers of the protest whether they wanted to send a delegation to the red carpet and they said they weren’t interested in doing that and that they didn’t want to interfere with the festival.”

When pushed by Deadline, whose journalist Andreas Wiseman said: “I thought they had said they wanted to march to the festival center,” Barbera countered with: “No, I don’t think so. I offered them a place on the carpet and they said no.”

Plans for the protest gained momentum after Venice4Palestine, an organization of Italian and international film professionals, issued an open letter last weekend calling on the festival to condemn the suffering caused by Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

In Deadline’s interview, published on Sunday, Barbera said: “We made an initial statement and then at the pre-opening of the festival the president of the Biennale made a very strong statement against the war in Gaza. There was a priest alongside him who had been refused entry to Israel in recent weeks and who has been very supportive of Palestine.”

When asked if he would make a personal statement, Barbera said: “I would do but the Biennale doesn’t make political statements. That’s the reason I haven’t so far.”

When it comes to the roster of international films on the festival’s screening agenda, Barbera said: “There are very few Palestinian films each year, this year even less perhaps, because of the war. I saw only one film that could have had the profile of a Competition film. It wasn’t quite good enough for us, from my point of view, so we declined and I think the film will screen at another festival.”


Riyadh celebrates Sudanese heritage in cultural week finale

Updated 15 December 2025
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Riyadh celebrates Sudanese heritage in cultural week finale

  • Visitors experience sounds of dalooka, rababa in lively spectacle
  • Global Harmony 2 initiative has offered an integrated cultural experience highlighting 14 cultures

RIYADH: The Sudanese Culture Week continues in Riyadh until Dec. 20, attracting visitors from a variety of nationalities to diverse cultural performances, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Ministry of Media has organized the events as part of the Global Harmony 2 initiative, in cooperation with the General Entertainment Authority and the Quality of Life Program.

Held at Al-Suwaidi Park, one of Riyadh Season’s zones, the week began with a celebratory parade featuring traditional Sudanese music which included the sounds of the dalooka and the rababa. A traditional Sudanese bridal procession was the subject of a tableau that also engaged visitors.

Sudanese Culture Week also includes musical concerts, entertainment sections, and cultural pavilions, with participation from Sudanese singers and influencers presenting activities that reflect the cultural diversity of the country’s regions and communities.

The event’s stage hosted the opening concerts, which were attended by thousands who enjoyed rababa performances and popular Sudanese songs.

Citizens and residents explored Sudanese culture through its folk arts, traditional music, and customs.

The celebration marks the final week of the Global Harmony 2 initiative’s cultural events. These have built on the program’s success in promoting cultural exchange and showcasing the cultures of communities residing in the Kingdom, reflecting the values of coexistence and cultural openness.

Over more than 40 days the Global Harmony 2 initiative has offered an integrated cultural experience highlighting 14 cultures.

Indian Culture Week was the first in a series featuring countries from Asia, Africa, and the Arab world.

Other weeks have placed the spotlight on regions such as the Philippines, Egypt, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine, Bangladesh, Yemen, Uganda, and Ethiopia, providing traditional arts and music, cuisine, and social activities.

The initiative has included more than 100 artists and creators presenting artistic and musical performances, along with areas showcasing traditional cuisine, clothing, handicrafts, and family-friendly interactive activities.

It has received wide acclaim for highlighting the lives of residents in the Kingdom and the services provided to them.