Large number of filmmakers refuse to collaborate with Israeli establishments
In a significant move, over 1,400 actors, directors, and filmmakers, including Olivia Colman, Javier Bardem, Ayo Edebiri, Riz Ahmed, Josh O'Connor, Cynthia Nixon, Joe Alwyn, Tobias Menzies, Miriam Margolyes, Aimee Lou Wood, and many more, have signed a statement boycotting Israeli film institutions.
The call is not targeted at individual Israeli filmmakers but rather at institutions that the signatories believe are involved in genocide and apartheid against Palestinians. Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, Asif Kapadia, Boots Riley, Joshua Oppenheimer, and Mark Ruffalo, among others, are some of the director and filmmaker signatories.
The statement draws inspiration from the cultural boycott that contributed to the end of apartheid in South Africa in the 1990s. It follows the call of Palestinian filmmakers who urge the international film industry to reject silence, racism, and dehumanization and do everything possible to end complicity in Palestinian oppression.
The initiative, named "Film Workers for Palestine," emphasizes the film industry's role in shaping perceptions and calls for action against complicity in the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The group is closely linked to the "Palestine Film Institute" (PFI), which published the "Industry Protocol in Times of Genocide" outlining the boycott measures.
The boycott includes film festivals, cinemas, broadcasting institutions, and production companies that glorify or justify genocide and apartheid, or collaborate with the government committing these crimes. However, the statement does not specify any particular Israeli film institutions that are being boycotted.
The signatories commit to not working with Israeli film institutions involved in genocide and apartheid against Palestinians. The boycott is part of a broader movement of protests against the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
The power of cinema to shape perceptions is a key reason for taking a stand against institutions involved in genocide and apartheid. The initiative urges the film industry to use its influence to promote peace, justice, and human rights, rather than contributing to the perpetuation of oppression.
This boycott is not a new phenomenon in the film industry. Similar boycotts have been implemented in the past, such as the cultural boycott against South Africa during apartheid, which is widely credited with helping to bring an end to that regime.
The boycott is a powerful statement by the film industry, demonstrating a commitment to standing against injustice and promoting peace. It serves as a call to action for others in the industry to follow suit and use their influence to make a difference in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
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