George Clooney accepted a lifetime achievement Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival on Wednesday and addressed political rifts without naming anyone.

After covering his long acting career he shifted to how officeholders and the wealthiest now push the public toward mutual distrust, adding that past events prove otherwise. He noted that authoritarians first silence questioning reporters and creative workers who urge empathy for unknown people, and that films cannot halt conflicts, curb prices or decide votes yet they still build concern for others so shared theater viewing will suffice.

At an earlier news conference he endorsed Mark Ruffalo’s right to speak after antisemitism accusations over comments on Paramount’s David and Larry Ellison, doubted the financial logic of their merger, and said a November election would serve as oversight with more typical conditions returning in 2028.