VENICE, ITALY – AUGUST 27: President of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, Alexander Payne, attends the opening photocall during the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 27, 2025 in Venice, Italy. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
The Venice Film Festival jury president Alexander Payne faced the press for the first time today, and he was asked several questions early on about the conflict in Gaza. Specifically, he was asked his own views on the ongoing crisis.
“Quite frankly, I feel a little bit unprepared for that question,” he said during the Q&A. “I’m here to judge and talk about cinema. My political views, I’m sure, are in agreement with many of yours.”
Payne is leading the main competition jury, which also includes Fernanda Torres, Mohammad Rasoulof, Cristian Mungiu, and others.
Later on, Payne posed a different question himself: Can a film really change society? “I don’t know, doubtful,” he said. “But at least though when we make films which are relevant to the times, we leave a document that someone was thinking about that. “