Venice Film Festival Director Says “We Didn’t Care” About James Franco’s Presence in New Serial Killer Movie

Venice has long cultivated a reputation for embracing provocative filmmakers other festivals might shy away from, having previously championed work from Roman Polanski and Woody Allen despite significant public controversy surrounding both directors. That willingness to take creative risks has helped cement the festival’s credibility within the industry, even when its choices generate heated debate.

That same spirit of artistic risk-taking nearly extended to one of this year’s most talked-about near-misses on the festival circuit. Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera has spent years steering the festival’s programming with an eye toward bold selections, and this year’s lineup came close to including a genuinely divisive true-crime thriller before circumstances ultimately kept it off the Lido entirely.

According to Barbera, Venice seriously considered premiering Vincent Gallo’s “Golden State Killer,” starring James Franco, extending the film an out-of-competition slot. “We told him, ‘We like the film very much. We know it is a film that is going to divide the public, but we are ready to face a complicated situation,'” Barbera told Variety. Gallo ultimately declined the offer, reportedly because he wanted the film to compete for the festival’s top prize, the Golden Lion, rather than screen out of competition.

The film casts Gallo as real-life serial killer Joseph James DeAngelo, known as the Golden State Killer, who terrorized California for decades before finally being brought to justice in 2018. Franco plays a detective racing to catch the killer before he can claim another victim, marking one of the actor’s higher-profile projects since largely stepping back from studio filmmaking following a 2021 legal settlement tied to sexual misconduct allegations from former students.

Barbera didn’t shy away from directly addressing why the film’s subject matter, rather than its stars, was the actual source of concern for the festival. Asked whether the controversy would have stemmed from the film itself or from Gallo and Franco’s presence, Barbera was direct in his response, per Variety. “No, because of the film. Because of the subject,” he explained, noting there’s always something “unsettling” about how Gallo approaches difficult material, though he stopped short of framing that as disqualifying.

On the question of Franco’s involvement specifically, Barbera was similarly unconcerned. “We didn’t care about that,” he said, explaining that enough time had passed since Franco largely disappeared from the spotlight, and that the actor’s recent return to filmmaking in Italy hadn’t generated any significant negative reaction. According to Barbera, that track record was enough to put any concerns about his casting to rest for festival organizers.

“Golden State Killer,” previously known as “The Policeman,” has had a notably long journey to release, having shot back in late 2023 and spent the years since in post-production. The film secured a domestic distribution deal with Lionsgate’s genre label Grindstone during the Cannes market in 2025, with Gallo previously indicating the film was coming “soon.”

Gallo, a former Venice Best Actor winner known for provocative work including “The Brown Bunny,” has built a career defined by unconventional creative choices both in front of and behind the camera. His decision to pass on Venice in favor of holding out for a competition slot elsewhere reflects that same pattern, even as it means the film missed out on what would have been a high-profile platform.

With the film still awaiting a firm release date, its eventual premiere destination remains an open question. Whether “Golden State Killer” finds its way onto another major festival’s competition slate, or heads straight to theaters through Lionsgate, fans of Gallo’s uncompromising creative instincts will likely be watching closely either way.

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