Overview

• Thousands of demonstrators marched on the Lido on Saturday in a largely peaceful protest over the Gaza war, with Italian police cordons stopping the crowd short of the festival entrance and red carpet.
• AFP reporters estimated the turnout at roughly three to four thousand, and The Hollywood Reporter noted officers in riot gear blocked the procession about 1,000 feet from the Palazzo del Cinema.
• An open letter organized by Venice4Palestine gathered more than 2,000 film‑industry signatures, and the group pressed for the disinvitation of Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler, a step festival chief Alberto Barbera said the Biennale would not take.
• Gaza‑centered programming has intensified the focus, including next week’s competition premiere of Kaouther Ben Hania’s The Voice of Hind Rajab, which trade outlets report has Brad Pitt, Joaquin Phoenix, Alfonso Cuarón and Jonathan Glazer among executive producers.
• Festival‑adjacent events featured readings by Annie Ernaux and Céline Sciamma and the presentation of the Gaza International Festival for Women’s Cinema for October 26–31, with organizers launching a crowdfunding drive and a BDS discussion scheduled for August 31.