Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera brushed aside concerns about a lack of press trips as the event kicked off what he described as an edition with “the longest roster of talent” in recent history.

Asked by a German journalist why there were “no press conferences” in Venice this year, Barbera replied: “I am not aware of this situation,” adding: “I don't think this concerns most of the line-up.”

Journalists have complained that the most high-profile, star-studded titles showing in Venice this year, including the Angelina Jolie-starrer “Maria,” Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer,” starring Daniel Craig, and the Jon Watts-directed action comedy “Wolfs,” starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, will not be doing any press beyond the festival’s press conferences. Or at least no press trips where a significant number of journalists can get sound bites. There are 2,900 accredited journalists at this year’s festival.

Barbera said he would investigate the situation and try to pressure the studios, but ultimately "these are marketing decisions. We don't manage talent," he noted.