# Gender representation debate at Venice Film Festival > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/gender-representation-debate-at-venice-film-festival > Updated: 2026-08-11T15:33:56.000Z. Sources: 2. Developments: 2. Six Italian film organizations criticized the 83rd Venice International Film Festival for a lack of female representation in its competition lineup. The groups noted that only one of the 20 competing films was directed by a woman, contrasting this with the previous year when six female directors were present. They questioned whether the festival’s “quality” criteria reflect entrenched cultural biases and cited the unmet goals of the 2018 “50/50 by 2020” pledge. Festival director Alberto Barbera responded by stating the result surprised him and that he had “desperately hoped” to find quality films by women. This phrasing drew criticism from actress Valeria Golino, who stated in an interview that “language has a weight” and that the term “desperately” was inappropriate. While Golino maintained that artistic merit should remain the primary selection criterion, she addressed the implications of the director’s comments regarding female filmmakers. ## Timeline ### 2026-08-11: Valeria Golino criticizes Venice Film Festival director over comments on female filmmakers Actress Valeria Golino criticizes Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera's comments on female representation, stating his use of the word “desperately” regarding female directors was inappropriate. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/valeria-golino-criticizes-venice-film-festival-director-over-comments-on-female-filmmakers ### 2026-07-27: Venice Film Festival criticised for low female director representation Six Italian film groups criticize Venice Film Festival’s 2024 competition for featuring only one female director, May el‑Toukhy, urging a review of selection criteria and fulfillment of the 50/50 gender‑balance 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/venice-film-festival-criticised-for-low-female-director-representation --- Cite as: Gender representation debate at Venice Film Festival. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/gender-representation-debate-at-venice-film-festival