Venice Film Festival Cancels Opening Jury Press Conference

The Venice Film Festival has canceled its traditional opening jury press conference, a break from protocol that comes amid heightened political sensitivities surrounding the event. A festival spokesperson confirmed the decision, attributing it to a scheduling conflict and stating that a welcome cocktail event for the press will be held instead on the opening day.

The festival is scheduled to run from September 2 to September 12, 2026, with Danny Boyle's film "Ink" opening the competition on September 2. While the main jury press conference will not take place, the festival confirmed that individual press conferences for films will proceed. The first is set for September 2 for Alina Marazzi's "The Girl With The Leica," followed by the conference for "Ink." Additional press events are planned for competition titles, including Martin McDonagh's "Wild Horse Nine" and a documentary about the war in Gaza titled "NAZA," as well as for out-of-competition films.

The decision is unusual for a major festival, as opening jury press conferences are standard at events like Cannes and Berlin. This year's Venice competition jury is headed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and includes members such as...