Alberto Barbera as director of the Venice International Film Festival (1998–2002 and 2011–present) is not only one of the longest-running directors in the history of the festival, but also a pivotal personality in organizing and promoting Italian cinema. Although the festival mostly focused on auteur cinema and therefore on film directors, one should not underestimate the actors’ role within the festival as regards Italian productions selected in past years. In these transitional years for the Italian film industry, Barbera and the festival held a role in the existence of a contemporary national star system, in promoting and enhancing Italian actors, even thanks to prizes and awards bestowed on them or the films they starred in, as much as thanks to the festival’s setting and rituals, such as red carpet, fashion branding, advertising campaigns.