Venice Chief on Hollywood Retreat, Gender Parity & AI

Alberto Barbera, the longtime artistic director of the Venice Film Festival, offered a sharp critique of Hollywood’s shifting relationship with international film festivals during a press conference on Wednesday, while also voicing concern over a stalling of gender parity efforts and the looming impact of artificial intelligence on cinema.

Speaking ahead of the 83rd edition of the festival, set to run from August 26 to September 5, Barbera addressed what he described as a retreat by major Hollywood studios from the traditional festival circuit. He noted that an increasing number of American studios are bypassing events like Venice in favor of launching their prestige pictures directly on streaming platforms or hosting private industry premieres. “There is a clear disengagement from the festival model as a primary promotional tool,” Barbera said, pointing to a trend he believes undermines the communal experience of cinema. He stressed that festivals remain vital for discovering emerging talent and for fostering a dialogue between filmmakers and audiences.

The retreat, Barbera argued, is partly driven by the economics of streaming, where studios can control release windows and avoid the costs and risks of a theatrical festival rollout. He cited several prominent titles that skipped Venice this year in favor of direct-to-streaming debuts, though he declined to name specific films. “The festival ecosystem is fragile,” he added. “It depends on the participation of the industry’s biggest players, and when they withdraw, we lose a piece of the cultural conversation.”

Gender Parity Backslide

Barbera also addressed what he termed a “disappointing regression” in gender parity among films submitted to Venice, particularly within the main competition. After several years of aggressive efforts to boost the number of female directors in the lineup - including a 2022 edition that featured a record high - Barbera acknowledged that the 2026 selection includes fewer women-helmed films than in recent years. “We did not meet the expectations we set for ourselves,” he said. “This is not for lack of trying. The submissions this year were simply not as strong in terms of quantity or quality from women directors as we had hoped.”

He attributed the slump to broader industry forces, including a post-pandemic slowdown in greenlighting projects by female filmmakers and a return to risk-averse casting and directing choices by studios. “The system has backslid,” Barbera said, emphasizing that the festival cannot solve the problem alone. “We can program inclusively, but we cannot force shooting schedules or production decisions. The industry must make a sustained commitment.”

The admission drew immediate reaction from advocacy groups, who noted that major festivals - including Cannes and Berlin - have similarly struggled to maintain earlier gains in gender representation. Barbera pledged to continue mentorship programs and special initiatives aimed at female directors, but he warned that meaningful change requires structural reform in financing and distribution.

The AI Question

The third major topic Barbera raised was the “profound and unsettling” question of artificial intelligence in filmmaking. He described AI as a double-edged sword that could revolutionize production while threatening the creative autonomy of directors and writers. “We are at the beginning of a transformation that could redefine authorship itself,” he said.

Barbera revealed that this year’s Venice program includes two films that used generative AI tools in their production - one for script development and another for visual effects. While he declined to name the titles, he said the festival has established a working group to develop guidelines for transparency in AI usage. “We are not banning AI. That would be futile,” he noted. “But we insist that audiences and critics know when and how it has been used. The human hand must remain visible.”

His remarks came amid ongoing labor disputes in Hollywood over the role of AI, following the 2023 writers’ and actors’ strikes that included AI protections as a key flashpoint. Barbera said the conversation is only beginning. “Every digital tool we have adopted in the last thirty years - from CGI to digital cameras - was met with fear. But none of them replaced the soul of cinema. AI is different. It can mimic creativity. We must ensure it does not replace it.”

Barbera closed the press conference by defending the festival’s overall lineup, which he described as “bold and diverse” despite the challenges. The 83rd Venice Film Festival will open with a new film by an acclaimed European director and will feature world premieres from several continents. “The festival endures because cinema endures,” he said. “But we must evolve honestly.”

Source: Hollywood Reporter