VENICE, Italy: The Venice Film Festival opened on August 27 with its usual mix of glamour and Hollywood stars, but activists are trying to shift attention toward the ongoing war in Gaza.

A protest group called Venice4Palestine organized demonstrations to demand that the festival and its parent body, the Venice Biennale, cut ties with organizations linked to the Israeli government. They are also calling for the withdrawal of invitations to actors Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler, both connected in different ways to pro-Israel causes.

On the festival's opening day, activists announced a morning press conference outside the famous red carpet. They also plan a major march on the night of August 30, the same evening as the world premiere of Guillermo del Toro's "Frankenstein," one of the festival's most anticipated events.

More than a hundred filmmakers and artists, including British director Ken Loach and Italian filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher, have signed the Venice4Palestine letter of support.

Festival director Alberto Barbera, speaking to the Associated Press, said the Biennale does not take political positions or boycott artists. However, he added, "We are a space for debate, for conversation. We are absolutely open to any kind of discussion about the unacceptable situation in Palestine."

Rumors spread that Gal Gadot had pulled out of the festival, but Barbera clarified that the "Snow White" actress had never planned to attend.

Gadot, who is Israeli, has not commented, and her representatives could not be reached. Gerard Butler, who once attended a fundraising event for the Friends of the IDF, has also not spoken publicly about the Gaza war. Barbera said he was still waiting to confirm whether Butler would attend the premiere of Julian Schnabel's "In the Hand of Dante," screening out of competition on September 3.

While the festival itself does not make political statements, its programming reflects the conflict. It will host the world premiere of Kaouther Ben Hania's "The Voice of Hind Rajab," a film about a six-year-old girl who died trying to flee Gaza with her family earlier this year. Last year, the festival also showcased an Israeli film about the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas attack.

The backdrop is grim. The week started with an Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital, killing at least 20 people, including five journalists. The Gaza Health Ministry reported that more than 62,000 Palestinians have died in the 22-month conflict, while the war itself began after Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and kidnapped 251 hostages in Israel.

Barbera summed it up: "We are living in very complicated, dangerous, and frightening times. And cinema reflects this kind of situation. A lot of filmmakers are so sensible to talk about these huge and dramatic problems and issues."