Alberto Barbera addresses Venice Film Festival logistics and political requests

Alberto Barbera, director of the Venice Film Festival, has addressed both the logistical challenges of the festival and recent political requests. Regarding the selection process, Barbera noted a significant increase in submissions, rising from 4,200 films in 2025 to 4,550 currently. He remarked that the selection team often uses a twenty-minute rule to determine if a film is worth continuing to watch due to the immense volume of entries.

Addressing political pressure from the collective Venice4Palestine, Barbera stated there is no margin for the Biennale to fly the Palestinian flag. He explained that the institution is restricted to displaying only the flags of states recognized by the Italian government. Barbera clarified that since the Italian government has not yet officially recognized Palestine, the request for such a gesture should be directed to the state rather than the festival organizers.