Hundreds of Artists Pledge to Boycott Israeli Cinematic Institutions

SadaNews - More than 1,300 cinematographers, including some prominent Hollywood stars, have pledged not to work with Israeli cinematic institutions complicit in the violations against Palestinians, as Israel intensifies its war on Gaza.

In a pledge issued on Monday, the artists - including Olivia Colman, Ayo Edebiri, Mark Ruffalo, Riz Ahmed, Tilda Swinton, and Javier Bardem - condemned the "relentless" terror in Gaza, where Israel has killed more than 64,000 Palestinians and destroyed much of the territory of the Strip.

The statement read, "Drawing inspiration from 'Filmmakers United Against Apartheid' who refused to show their films in South Africa during the apartheid regime, we pledge not to screen our films or appear in or work in any other way with Israeli cinematic institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasting agencies, and production companies – that are complicit in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people."

The statement added that examples of complicity in Israeli rights violations include "whitewashing or justifying genocide and apartheid, and/or partnering with the government perpetrating them."

It cited International Court of Justice rulings that found the genocide charges against Israel to be plausible, and that Israel's occupation of Palestinian land is illegal.

Over 23 months of war on Gaza, prominent academics, rights groups, and experts from the United Nations have accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians.

Genocide – defined by the United Nations as "acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial, or religious group" – is considered one of the gravest war crimes.

Palestinian rights advocates have long called on celebrities to use their influence and status to raise awareness of the plight of the Palestinians.

Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mike Lerner, one of the signatories of the statement, said the pledge was a "non-violent tool" to undermine the immunity that Israel enjoys in its actions against Palestinians.

Lerner added in a statement, "It is the responsibility of every thinking independent artist to use any powers of expression they possess to support the global resistance to overcome this terror."

Hollywood Shifts

Historically, Hollywood has been pro-Israel, producing films like the 1960 movie "Exodus" which glorified the founding of Israel, and regularly incorporating positive references to the country in popular films.

However, in recent years, many actors and directors have spoken out publicly against Israel's policies, sometimes at the cost of their careers.

For example, in 2023, a talent agency dropped actress Susan Sarandon, who signed the pledge on Monday, after she attended a solidarity march for Palestine.

After the outbreak of war in Gaza, Melissa Barrera, who also joined the call for a boycott, lost her role in the "Scream" horror film series over social media posts criticizing Israel.

Nevertheless, sympathetic voices for the Palestinians continue to grow louder in the film industry.

In March, the Israeli-Palestinian film "No Other Land" – which focuses on the ongoing destruction of the Palestinian community in Masafer Yatta in the occupied West Bank – won the Oscar for Best Documentary Feature.

Recently, the film "The Voice of Hind Rajab" – which tells the story of a 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was trapped in a car with her slain family members before also being killed by Israeli soldiers – received a standing ovation lasting 23 minutes at the Venice Film Festival.

The film focuses on Hind's terrifying calls for rescue teams while she was under Israeli fire in Gaza City.

The pledge comes at a time when Israel is systematically pushing to destroy the city of Gaza, having already devastated much of the besieged Strip.

The statement read, "As filmmakers, actors, and cinema industry workers and institutions, we recognize the power of cinema in shaping perceptions."

It concluded with the phrase, "At this urgent moment of crisis, where many of our governments enable the massacre in Gaza, we must do everything in our power to address the complicity in that relentless terror."

Source: Al Jazeera