The Venice Film Festival jury press conference focused heavily on the Gaza conflict. Jury president Alexander Payne avoided directly commenting, deferring questions to festival chief Alberto Barbera, who expressed sadness about the situation but affirmed the festival's refusal to disinvite artists supporting Israel. The conference also touched on the impact of streaming on cinema's cultural relevance, with Payne expressing concern that limited theatrical releases hinder films' societal impact. Despite this, Payne expressed excitement about judging the festival's diverse film selection.

Prepared by Emily Rhodes and reviewed by editorial team.