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It’s 11:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and 19-year-old Delsina Desanctes is standing outside the Palazzo de Cinema — the iconic venue where the Venice Film Festival takes place — surrounded by umbrellas, suitcases, sleeping bags
and even a tent.
“I’m hoping to see Sydney Sweeney, Kendall Jenner and Jonathan Bailey,” says Desanctes, who traveled to Lido from Rome. (None of them are at the fest for movies; they’re attending as brand ambassadors for Armani.)
It’s a full 24 hours before anyone famous will walk the red carpet, but that hasn’t stopped Venice superfans from camping out a day early. Every film festival has its die-hards who gather hours in advance to catch a glimpse at their favorite celebrities and share the bragging rights on Instagram and TikTok. But at Venice, it’s an all-night affair. Along with the umbrellas to block the sun, people are equipped with mosquito repellant, water bottles, portable phone chargers and tripods. If you squint, it almost looks like camp grounds at Burning Man or Coachella (without the dust).
Desanctes isn’t fazed by the brutal heat or hours of waiting around. This is her seventh year in the thick of the action, and she’s gotten good at passing the time. In fact, she’s not even all that interested in the stars. She’s saving a spot for her celebrity-obsessed best friend, who is back at their hotel taking a disco nap before the fun begins.
“I smoke. I love talking to people, so the time passes,” Desanctes says. “I didn’t eat or drink all day today, so tomorrow I’m going to reset. It’s crazy, but it’s the only time of year I’m going to do that.”
Michele, a 29-year-old Italian who has attended the festival for the past decade, took off work so he could get to the Palazzo by 6 p.m. on Tuesday. It’s a lot of effort, sure, but he learned the hard way that showing up any later meant he’d get a lame placement on the carpet. If you don’t have a decent view of the action, you certainly won’t be able to score any autographs or selfies.
“Last year, I arrived at 9 p.m. the day before, and it was too late. I was on the last part of the red carpet,” he says. “If I got here tomorrow, I’d be in the third or fourth row.”
That’s a problem, he says, because the crowd tends to erupt into a frenzy when A-listers finally descend on the red carpet. “Everyone, at least the first time they’re here, makes some mistakes. You push people a little. I’ve done it as well. It’s like a battle royale,” says Michele. “I’m not proud of it, but this year I’m trying to change and redeem myself.”
George Clooney, who is being honored with a life achievement award, as well as the cast of Danny Boyle’s Rupert Murdoch drama “Ink,” including Jack O’Connell, Claire Foy and Guy Pearce, are among the bold-face names who will attend the opening night festivities. Michele wants to meet Boyle, his favorite director, but he’s prepared to be disappointed.
“It’s a roll of the dice,” Michele says. “Some of them are very kind. It’s not their fault if they don’t take an autograph or selfie with every person on the red carpet. They have a schedule.”
Venice’s artistic director Alberto Barbera, who happened to be walking by the Palazzo de Cinema on Tuesday night as people were already staking out the grounds, admitted he doesn’t know what to make of the unusual scene.
“I can’t believe they’re so crazy to stay for two days,” Barbera says. “Of course, it’s weird. But at the same time, they show there’s a real passion. The fact that they put themselves in such a situation, not caring about the fatigue, not caring if they eat, it’s impressive.”
Local police officers, meanwhile, say they can’t comprehend the appeal of sleeping on the ground in the name of capturing a few photos and videos. And it’s apparently illegal in Venice for tourists who sit, lay down or camp in public areas, with fines ranging from €200 to €350, according to two officials who declined to be named. But they aren’t trying to disrupt the fun.
“We are not fining them. If it were a normal day, we would take them away from there and give them a warning that they must stay out of the city center for two days,” says one police officer. “As a Venetian, I don’t understand it.”
The all-nighter has become an annual event for Bianca Baccolini, 20, and her mom, Samantha Sandri, of Bologna. They returned to the sidewalk, having captured cherished videos in years prior of Brad Pitt, Clooney and Lady Gaga. This time around, they were joined by six friends — another parent and kids ranging from 14 to 21 years old — whom they met at the 2025 festival.
“It’s a beautiful experience,” says Baccolini, who hopes to snag pictures of Clooney (again), Orlando Bloom and Robert Pattinson. Her mom describes the adventure as “magic.”
“The filmmakers and actors come to see you, and they’re friendly,” Sandri says. “And my daughter and I get to spend time together.”
