Hollywood boycott affects Venice Film Festival

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【Summary】The Venice Film Festival is being affected by the Hollywood actor and writers' strikes, with big names like Willem Dafoe and Emma Stone boycotting the event. The strikes, mainly over salaries and the threat of artificial intelligence, have caused many A-listers to stay away and prevent actors from promoting their films. The festival's artistic director remains calm about the impact, expecting a modest turnout.

FutureCar Staff Aug 30, 2023 10:26 AM PT

Hollywood boycott affects Venice Film Festival

The Venice Film festival is set to proceed this year, albeit without much fanfare. The festival has been affected by the ongoing strikes in Hollywood, leading to the expected boycott of several big names. A-list actors such as Willem Dafoe, Emma Stone, Michael Fassbender, and Bradley Cooper, who all have films featured in the festival, will not be attending.

The strikes, led by the main actors and writers' union SAG-AFTRA, primarily revolve around issues of salaries and concerns about the rise of artificial intelligence in the industry. These strikes have brought a significant portion of Hollywood to a standstill, with union regulations preventing actors from actively promoting their films.

Despite the disappointing turnout, Alberto Barbera, the artistic director of the 80th edition of the film festival, remains optimistic. He acknowledges the impact of the Hollywood strike but assures that it will be modest. Barbera expresses calmness about the situation, stating, "When we first heard about the Hollywood strike, we were afraid that no one would turn out. In the end, there has been an impact, but it will be modest. We are very calm about it."