Earlier this week, more than 1,200 industry figures—including Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Io Adaviri and Amy Lou Wood (The White Lotus)—signed a statement released by the group Film Workers for Palestine.
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(Photo: Vianney Le Caer, AP; Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP; Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images)
Within two days, the number of signatories more than doubled to 3,900, including Oscar, BAFTA, Emmy and Golden Palm winners. Newly added names include Joaquin Phoenix, Nicolas Cauchon (Bridgerton), Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live), Guy Pearce, Jonathan Glazer, Avon Moss-Bekharach (The Bear), Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), Eric André, Elliot Page and Emma D’Arcy (House of the Dragon). Phoenix recently served as executive producer on the Venice award-winning drama Hind Rajab’s Voice and appeared at the festival’s premiere wearing pins supporting Palestine.
The statement says Israeli film institutions are complicit if they “whitewash or justify genocide and apartheid and/or collaborate with the government that perpetrates them,” citing events such as the Jerusalem Film Festival.
“Although they operate within Israel’s apartheid system and benefit from it, the vast majority of Israeli production and distribution companies, sales agents, cinemas and other film institutions have never supported the full rights of the Palestinian people as recognized by the international community,” the statement reads.
It cites the International Court of Justice, saying there is a “reasonable risk of genocide in Gaza” and that Israel’s occupation and apartheid against Palestinians are illegal. “Upholding equality, justice and freedom for all humans is a profound moral duty that none of us can ignore,” the statement adds.
The initiative responds to Palestinian filmmakers’ calls for the global industry to oppose silence, racism and dehumanization. It draws inspiration from Filmmakers United Against Apartheid, a movement led by director Jonathan Demme in the 1980s against South Africa’s apartheid regime.
Despite the boycott, films featuring signees—including Rose Against Rose starring Colman and The Fantastic Four starring Moss-Bekharach—are still screening in Israeli cinemas.
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