Willem Dafoe on His Venice Theater Program: “I Miss the Amateur Spirit”

Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Willem Dafoe has unveiled his second lineup as artistic director of the theater department of La Biennale di Venezia — the Italian arts organization that also oversees the Venice Film Festival . The theme for the 54th International Theater Festival, which runs June 7–21, is “ALTER NATIVE.” “There is no precise meaning as the etymology can be vague or evocative,” Dafoe said at a Monday press conference. “The idea is to think ALTER as in change — NATIVE as your nature. Or ALTER as in other — NATIVE as the culture one is from.” Related Stories TV Richard Gadd Drama 'Half Man' Sets Premiere Date on HBO TV Russell T. Davies on World "Sliding Back" on Queer Rights, Showing Conservatives' "Hearts and Humanity" in 'Tip Toe' In a “truth-challenged world,” Dafoe said his goal was to platform voices and cultures that many audiences won’t be familiar with — and to push back against a theater landscape he feels has lost its edge. “Professionalism has flattened its soul,” he said. “It can feel polished to the point of sameness. I miss the amateur spirit.” His 2026 program, he suggested, would favor cracks over polish. The lineup spans India, China, Indonesia, New Zealand, Rwanda, Greece and Italy, among others. Italian playwright and director Emma Dante will receive this year’s Golden Lion, while young Greek-Albanian director Mario Banushi will be honored with the Silver Lion. Dante will present a new creation, I Fantasmi di Basile , inspired by the fairy tales of Basile’s Lo Cunto de li Cunti . Other highlights include Sharmila Biswas’ company performing Mischief Dance , described as “a subtle reinvention of traditional Odissi dance”; Indonesian dance theater collective Bumi Purnati Indonesia presenting two pieces drawn from late 19th-century legends; a...