International film journalists have voiced their disappointment over the limited access to prominent figures like Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Lady Gaga at the Venice Film Festival , expressing concern that “cinema journalism is at risk of extinction” if studios and publicists persist in keeping them at a distance.

While stars and filmmakers, including notable figures like Cate Blanchett and Sigourney Weaver, are participating in red carpet events and press conferences, alongside a limited selection of interviews with top media outlets, the majority of journalists attending the festival have been denied access to prominent talent.

They have now penned an open letter to the industry warning them that the situation is becoming untenable. An open letter has already collected the signatures of 50 journalists who have decried the lack of access at Europe’s top festivals. As well as Venice, the letter also points to Cannes and the Berlinale as equally unsupportive of film and entertainment journalists, many of whom are freelance and rely on an exclusive quote to get a story published.

The letter was published on the Facebook page of a group called International Film Festivals Journalists, which unites over 700 members, including journalists, film publicists, and festival programmers. This group was established by Marco Consoli, an Italian freelance journalist, in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown, a time when festivals faced challenges and in-person interviews were not feasible.

Beyond the economic implications of sending journalists from across the globe to these festivals without the possibility of securing interviews with major stars, the letter warns that film journalists may choose to boycott future events. This decision would inevitably impact coverage of smaller, independent films.

“If this trend continues, the protest could eventually extend to the festivals themselves, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of hundreds of accredited journalists and publications. This would leave film commentary and the opinions of film authors entirely dependent on artificial intelligence,” states the letter.

Read the full letter below:

The survival of cinema journalism is hanging by a thread. The Venice Film Festival has just begun and we already know that many films making their world premiere at the festival this year will not be offering any interviews to the press. Not a single one. This decision, driven by studios and supported by many publicists, jeopardizes the livelihoods of an entire category of journalists, especially freelancers, who through their passionate and tireless efforts often contribute to the success of films, lend their voices and prestige to directors and actors, and help ignite discussions around projects that aspire to win Oscars, Golden Globes, and other prestigious awards. Having recently gone on strike for months in Hollywood to protect thousands of jobs, directors and actors, now aligning themselves with the policies of the same studios and producers who were previously their adversaries, are putting just as many jobs at risk by denying interviews to journalists who rely on those interviews for their survival.

In today's rapidly evolving media landscape, an increasing number of journalists are becoming freelancers, meaning they are entirely self-sufficient. This necessitates what is known as “pitching” – selling stories to earn a living. Every day, they strive to write about projects that are meaningful, innovative, and of high artistic value. However, outlets invariably prioritize names, stars, and mainstream projects. If journalists can secure interviews with those stars, they can also use their platform to ensure that first-time filmmakers, innovators, and all the remarkably talented artists with less commercial appeal get their due media exposure. Just as organizers rely on big stars to draw global attention to an event, international press require interviews with them to ensure the viability of their work.

Following last year's red carpets that were devoid of Hollywood stars and most filmmakers, due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, this edition promises a star-studded lineup. The problem is that nearly all the headliners of the 81st Mostra del Cinema will not be available for press engagements beyond walking the red carpet and participating in the official press conference. This “red carpet only” approach from publicists has been gaining traction for a while, even at other festivals like Cannes and Berlinale. However, the extent of their unavailability at this upcoming festival is unprecedented. The festival is attracting prominent names to enhance its prestige and media coverage, but it seems to forget about the journalists who are essential for that very coverage.

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.