30/08/2024 - The move was prompted after a handful of big productions once again decided not to offer wider interview opportunities outside of the festival press conferences

Once again, a handful of big productions – including Pablo Larraín’s Maria [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and Luca Guadagnino’s Queer [+see also:
film review
film profile] – have decided not to offer wider interview opportunities outside of the planned festival press conferences. The Venice Film Festival is the venue for the first, heartfelt protest led by international freelance journalists, who have seen their profession devalued and access to talent significantly restricted over the last few years, in particular ahead of and during A-list festivals.

An open letter posted in the International Film Festivals Journalists Facebook group (made up of about 700 professionals) has criticised this widespread policy, suggesting it could lead to a boycott of titles and talent not doing press at festivals. The initiative is spearheaded by Italian journalist Marco Consoli. The letter was initially signed by some 50 international journalists, but this number is rapidly growing.

The letter followed Venice Film Festival head Alberto Barbera’s words at the opening jury press conference on Wednesday, where he touched on the lack of film junkets for big-name talent this year. Barbera replied that he holds no sway over the films’ press campaigns, claiming he did not see an absence of junkets himself. He also promised to look into the situation and try to put pressure on the studios, but added how “these are marketing decisions” and that the festival “doesn’t manage talents”.

This year, the Lido is welcoming around 3,000 media professionals across print, digital and broadcast.

Here is the full text of the open letter, published yesterday, 29 August:

“Cinema journalism is at risk of extinction. The Venice Film Festival has just started, and we know already that many films with a world premiere at the festival this year will not give any interviews to the press. Zero, zilch, nada. This decision, influenced by the studios and supported by many publicists, puts in jeopardy an entire category of journalists, particularly freelancers, who with their passionate and relentless work often help in the success of films, give voice and prestige to directors and actors, and contribute to igniting the debate on projects that aim for the Oscars, the Golden Globes and other prestigious awards. After having gone on strike for months in Hollywood to save thousands of jobs, now directors and actors, embracing the policy of the same studios and producers who were previously their enemies, are putting just as many jobs at risk, denying interviews to journalists who manage to survive thanks to those interviews.

“These days, due to rapid and profound changes to the media landscape, more and more journalists are becoming freelancers, which means they sustain themselves single-handedly. That means they do what is called 'pitching' to sell stories which allow them to survive. Every day, they put their best foot forward to write about what’s meaningful, innovative and of great artistic value. But the outlets always favour names, stars and mainstream projects. If journalists get those stars, then they can also make sure the first-time filmmakers, the innovators, along with all the beautifully talented artists with less commercial appeal can get their media exposure, too, through their effort. Just like organisers need big stars for the eyes of the world to turn to the event, the international press need interviews with them for their work to be viable.

“After last year’s red carpets which were devoid of Hollywood stars and most filmmakers who were involved in the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, this edition promises to be star-packed. The problem is that nearly all of the headliners of the 81st Mostra del Cinema will not be available for press activities other than to walk the red carpet and talk at the official press conferences. This 'red carpet activity only' message from publicists has been building up for a while, also during other festivals, such as Cannes and the Berlinale. However, the scope of their unavailability during this upcoming festival is unprecedented. The festival is bringing names to achieve prestige and media exposure but then seems to develop amnesia when it comes to the actual journalists.

“We find this shocking and deeply concerning. We ask for a change to this policy that has long contaminated all of the major festivals and to return to offering interview junkets to the press at film festivals. Today, the protest has just begun, but soon, there could be hundreds of journalists and outlets boycotting films and artists denying access to interviews at festivals. Eventually, the protest could involve the festivals themselves, which risks seeing the departure of hundreds of accredited journalists and publications and where the commentary on films and the opinion of their authors will be left to artificial intelligence.”