Venice jury chief says films don’t change the world, but document it

The president of the jury at this year’s Venice Film Festival, American filmmaker Alexander Payne, stated on Wednesday that although films rarely change the trajectory of society, they are important records of their eras and help to create memories.

“Can a film really change society or culture? I don’t know. Doubtful,” Payne said, recalling that films such as Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator” did not stop World War Two, but rather showed that people were aware of what was going on.

“We have those as documents and, as such, we can try to learn from them,” he said ahead of the formal opening of the 11-day festival later on Wednesday.

Oscar-winning comedy “Sideways” and “The Holdovers” star Payne bemoaned the declining market for theatrical releases in the era of streaming, claiming that films that were exclusively viewed online had a difficult time having a significant social influence. Large streaming services like Netflix and Amazon frequently screen their films in Venice but give them little to no theatrical distribution, keeping them exclusively for their customers. About 1,500 representatives of the film industry signed a petition in the lead-up to the 2025 event, requesting the festival to take a strong stance against the war in Gaza and to call on the organizers to support Palestinian voices and condemn Israeli activities.

Payne declined to say if he supported their call, while the head of the festival, Alberto Barbera, said he welcomed open debate but rejected suggestions that Israeli filmmakers or actors should be banned.

“We reject outright the demand to disinvite artists who wish to take part in the festival. At the same time, we have never hesitated to express our enormous anguish at what is happening in Gaza,” he told reporters.

The Venice festival opens on Wednesday night with the world premiere of Italian director Paolo Sorretino’s “La Grazia.” The event ends on September 6 when Payne and his fellow jury members announce who has won the top Golden Lion award.