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Venice Biennale chairman Pietrangelo Buttafuoco slammed the European Union at the film festival press conference on Thursday for withdrawing a €2 million ($2.3 million) grant in response to Russia’s participation in the Biennale’s
arts exhibition this year. It was the first time the country has returned to the event since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
In an impassioned speech ahead of the announcement of the Venice Film Festival lineup, Buttafuoco said he would not bow to EU pressure since this would undermine “the autonomy and freedom of expression” of the arts foundation that operates across six artistic sectors: art, architecture, cinema, dance, music and theater.
Buttafuoco said that, while the dispute only involves the arts exhibition, it has an impact on the cinema sector since the pulled funds were not being used for the art Biennale. Instead, the EU coin was being used by its cinema sector activities, specifically its Biennale College film fund and the Venice Production Bridge initiatives.
“They are abandoning us today because of a political decision, certainly not a legal decision, and certainly not a cultural decision,” Buttafuoco said. “They are abandoning us in our journey, but La Biennale cannot accept that.”
Buttafuoco’s fiery comments came after an announcement earlier this week by the European Commission’s Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) that it would follow through with its threat to pull the grant.
The Biennale boss has defended Russia’s inclusion, saying that their art exhibition regulations state that any country that has relations with Italy has a right to participate. Russia pulled out of the 2022 edition of the arts Biennale after invading Ukraine War and did not attend the event in 2024.
Buttafuoco has clashed over this decision with Italy’s government, which has oversight over the Biennale foundation. But so far, the government has decided not to intervene by sacking him and has backpedalled, allowing Russia to participate.
The EU did not immediately respond to Variety‘s request for comment.
