Venice Chief Alberto Barbera Under Fire for Lack of Female Directors in Competition: ‘It Is a One-Dimensional Selection’

Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera is facing criticism from six Italian film organizations, including Women in Film Television and Media Italia. These bodies issued an open letter in La Repubblica condemning the 20-title competition for being a one-dimensional, male-dominated selection. The controversy centers on the sharp drop in female representation, as only one woman-helmed film was included in the Official Selection, while seven male directors represent the Italian selection this year.