Israel’s “Wonder Woman” Forced to Silence: Gal Gadot Won’t Attend Venice Film Festival Amid Growing Hate
Gal Gadot – former Miss Israel, global star of the Wonder Woman franchise and Hollywood icon of beauty and power – has decided not to attend this year’s Venice Film Festival. What has angered the public is not her busy schedule or work issues, but a boycott campaign organized by a vocal anti-Israel group among the artists attending the event.
The group has publicly called on the organizers to “remove” Gal Gadot from the guest list, on the grounds that her presence would “politicize” and “legitimize” the image of Israel. In fact, this is nothing less than a personal attack, turning an actress – who has no involvement in policy making – into a target simply because she holds Israeli citizenship.
When Art Becomes a Political Weapon
The Venice Film Festival is considered one of the quintessential symbols of world cinema, where art is honored above all. However, this year’s event was overshadowed by hatred disguised as “political solidarity”. Instead of letting films and artistic creations shine, a group of attendees turned the cinema stage into a place of exclusion, discrimination and imposing views.
This is no longer an “academic debate” or “freedom of expression”. This is sophisticated censorship, aimed directly at Jews and Israeli artists. And when Gal Gadot – one of the biggest movie stars on the planet – also chose to be absent to avoid the storm of public opinion, it is a sign of the seriousness of the problem.
The significance goes beyond an individual
If this were just Gadot’s story, the public would probably consider it a small scandal. But the truth is the opposite: it is a clear manifestation of the growing anti-Semitic trend in European art and culture, especially in Italy.
For years, reports of anti-Semitic incidents in Italy have been on the rise, from violence on the streets to hateful chants in sports. Now, the specter of hate has crept into the very film industry – a place that should celebrate creativity, diversity and freedom.
When events of the magnitude of Venice allow themselves to be manipulated by extremist groups, it sets a dangerous precedent: that if you make enough noise, you can “erase” any artist from cultural life.
Gal Gadot – a familiar target
In fact, this is not the first time Gal Gadot has been the victim of political attacks. She was heavily criticized for doing her mandatory military service in Israel – something that every citizen must do. She has also been attacked on social media every time she spoke out about the situation in her homeland.
But despite all the pressure, Gadot has always maintained her integrity, never denying her roots. She has not turned herself into a “political puppet”, nor has she used the name of art to spread ideology. She is simply an actress, a mother, a successful Jewish woman. And that very existence has made her a thorn in the side of many extremists.
Venice’s wrong message
Gadot’s decision to be absent may have helped her avoid direct confrontation with protesters, but it also means that those calling for a boycott have won. Venice has sent a dangerous message: art is no longer a neutral space, but has become a battlefield for extreme political intentions.
Today, it is Gal Gadot. Tomorrow, who will be eliminated next? Any Israeli artist? Or more broadly, any Jewish voices in the art world?
Conclusion
Gal Gadot’s absence from this year’s Venice Film Festival is not just a movie star’s story. It is a warning sign of the erosion of artistic freedom, of the anti-Semitism that is taking over cultural spaces.
A film festival that should be a celebration of art has become a tool for spreading hate. And Gal Gadot’s silence – forced into a choice by pressure – is clear evidence that in today’s art world, even “Wonder Woman” can be silenced.
