Alberto Barbera is set to remain at the helm as artistic director of the Venice Film Festival through 2026 and possibly longer.
The board of directors of the fest’s parent organization, the Venice Biennale – chaired by new president Pietrangelo Buttafuoco – on Friday announced they have approved Barbera’s appointment as artistic director “for the years 2025 and 2026,” the Biennale announced in a statement.
The Biennale is basically extending Barbera’s current mandate, which expires after the upcoming 2024 edition, for two more years. This does not rule out the possibility that Barbera could subsequently get another full-fledged mandate and stay on board even longer.
“I felt an immediate understanding with Alberto Barbera,” Buttafuoco said in a statement. “And I have great respect for the expertise, professionalism and passion he has demonstrated in the years that he has directed the Venice Film Festival, which have enhanced the prestige of the oldest film festival in the world,” he added.
“I am extremely pleased that La Biennale will continue down this path with him,” the Biennale boss went on to note.
Buttafuoco, who is a respected right-wing journalist and author, was appointed Biennale president last October. There were widespread fears in the Italian and international industry that he would feel compelled to replace Barbera with someone politically closer to Italy’s current right-wing government. But it’s clear that Buttafuoco has taken the high road.
Barbera, who is the festival’s longest serving artistic director, has been at the Lido’s helm consecutively since the 2012 edition and previously held the same position between 1998 and 2001.
Under Barbera’s watch Venice has turned into the most systematically effective springboard for awards hopefuls on the international festival circuit. The list of pics from the fall fest that have reached the awards circle in recent years include, most recently “Poor Things,” and – in random order – comprise “Gravity,” “Birdman,” “Spotlight,” “La La Land,” “The Shape of Water,” “Roma,” “Joker,” “Nomadland,” and “The Power of the Dog,” to name a few.
The fest is also a major platform for emerging filmmakers from all over the world and actively helps develop and produce micro-budget feature-length films through it’s unique Biennale College workshop.
Barbera’s career as a fest boss started in 1989 when, having first worked as a film critic, he became artistic director of the Torino Film Festival, dedicated to young directors, and scoured the planet seeking fresh cinematic fare.
In 2022 Barbera was awarded a special tribute by Variety‘s Gotham Awards in New York, while in 2021 Variety awarded him its International Achievement in Film Award. Since 2020 Barbera he has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts.
In 2000 Barbera was honoured with the title of Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, the cultural acknowledgment of the French Republic.
The 81st edition of Venice will run Aug. 28-Sept. 7
Source Agencies
