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Over 50 international journalists have signed a message criticising the lack of press access to major talent at this year’s Venice Film Festival, stating that “cinema journalism is at risk of extinction”.
The 500-word statement states that several world premiere titles at this year’s festival are giving no press interviews at all, which “puts in jeopardy an entire category of journalists, particularly freelancers, who with their passionate and relentless work often help in the success of films”.
Read the full message
The statement was originally posted by Italian freelance journalist Marco Consoli in a Facebook group he established in 2020 called International Film Festivals Journalists.
The group currently numbers over 700 people, including journalists, publicists and festival programmers.
The message states that the lack of press access is “shocking and deeply concerning. We ask to change this policy that has long contaminated all the major festivals and to return to offering interview junkets to the press at film festivals”.
This year’s Venice has several stars in attendance, especially compared to last year’s edition which was affected by the SAG-AFTRA strike in the US.
Several high-profile talents are only making brief visits to Venice before their titles head to Telluride or Toronto following Lido premieres.
Screen understands for some films that have yet to secure distribution deals in major territories, their respective sales agents have opted to hold back press access until those deals have been signed.
Jonathan Rutter, director of film at UK-based Premier PR, said he understood the frustrations of the journalists.
“I’m very conscious of what people have to spend to get here,” said Rutter. “We’re conscious of looking after the people who pay money to come to festivals.”
He acknowledged that without press attendance there is the risk that “festivals fall apart, which is the last thing anyone wants”.
Rutter said the issue of press access to top talent has “been bubbling for a while. This has been happening for a few years, and it’s definitely happening more and more. It has hit a critical mass.”
The reasons are complex and inconsistent, he added. “It’s not like there’s a pattern as to why people are not doing so many interviews.”
These reasons include an evolution in some sales agents’ strategies, with certain films holding out for a global rights deal through a major company.
He also said that if films are not sold when they arrive at a festival, there are two reasons why press junkets are a challenge.
“One is that in the end you always want the local distributor to drive the bus. That distributor should be deciding their local strategy and who gets access and who doesn’t, rather than be presented with something further down the line.”
“The other thing is the cost,” he added. “When you come to a festival with big stars, to put on a proper junket is not cheap. That money has to come from somewhere, [which is difficult] if there’s nobody to offset that cost because there are no distributors attached.”
The topic was raised by a German journalist at yesterday’s jury press conference, who asked why there were “no press junkets” at this year’s festival.
Artistic director Alberto Barbera responded that he was “not aware of this situation” but that it doesn’t concern “the bulk of the line-up”.
“There’s nothing we can do,” continued Barbera. “I can try and make pressure but there’s no way the festival can force the press officers of the distributors to release interviews if they don’t want to.
“I’ll try and understand better what it’s all about. I’ll see if there’s something we can do about it.”
This year’s Venice has accredited some 2,900 media professionals. Lack of direct junket access means many journalists are restricted to the press conferences held by many films and series at the festival, as the sole opportunity to engage with leading talent.
Screen has contacted the festival for comment on the issue.
The Competition gets underway with Pablo Larrain’s Maria this evening (August 29), after it was picked up for the US by Netflix last night.
The journalists’ statement
Cinema journalism is at risk of extinction. 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 favor 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 organizers 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 which 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 conference. This “red carpet activity only” message from publicists has been building up for a while, also during other festivals, such as Cannes and 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 seem to develop amnesia when it comes to the actual journalists.
We find this shocking and deeply concerning. We ask to change this policy that has long contaminated all 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.
Venice, August 29th 2024
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