Venice Film Festival Still On for September, Venice Governor Confirms

The Venice Film Festival will go ahead as planned this fall, the region’s governor confirmed on Sunday.

Luca Zaia, governor of Veneto, said the world’s longest running film festival, which was due to take place Sept. 2-12, is still on.

The festival surveyed a wide range of film industry executives in early May to ask for concerns and suggestions about the upcoming edition. The letter, which was signed by Venice’s artistic director Alberto Barbera, was meant to gauge how many filmmakers, talent and producers are willing to turn up at the fest.

“We know that it would be simply impossible to plan a festival without knowing if you all are willing to use the Festival to give a new start and a strong sign for keeping cinema alive, even in these difficult times,” wrote Barbera. The letter also asked producers and sales agents about “the concrete possibility of bringing (talent) to accompany the invited films.”

Evidently, organizers — who were expected to take a decision in late May — are now confident the fest is able to go ahead as planned, although the look of the event will be different this year, as public health safeguards must be taken into consideration.

More follows.