Desk report :
Artists protested together on September 8 against Israel’s brutality and genocide against Palestine. More than 1,200 artists and producers from various industries around the world, including Hollywood, announced that they would not work with any Israeli institution or production company. The artists also decided not to act in any films by Israeli producers.
Within a few days, this list grew longer. In total, more than 3,900 artists and producers have united in the decision to boycott Israeli films. Many of them are winners of various awards including Oscars, BAFTAs, Emmys, and Palme d’Ors. However, Paramount Pictures, one of the most influential production companies in Hollywood, has opposed the decision of the artists and producers.
In a statement, Paramount’s chief communications officer Melissa Zuckerman said, “We do not agree with the ongoing efforts to boycott Israeli producers. The trend of boycotting artists based on nationality will never bring anything good. The entertainment industry around the world should allow artists to tell their stories openly.’
The country’s producers’ association has also been shaken by the announcement of artists and producers to boycott Israel. The Israeli Producers Association issued a statement saying, ‘These artists and producers who are calling for a boycott are targeting the wrong people. For decades, we Israeli artists, storytellers and producers have been criticizing Israeli state policies, as well as highlighting the voices of the Palestinians. We also work with Palestinian producers, trying to stop violence and bring peace to the region. This decision to boycott the Israeli industry is misleading.’
On September 8, artists under the banner of the organization Film Workers for Palestine announced that they would not only refrain from acting in films produced by Israeli production companies, but also not participate in any film festivals organized in the country. As a result, these artists will not be seen at important festivals such as the Jerusalem Film Festival, Haifa International Film Festival, Dokaviv or Tel Aviv International Documentary Film Festival and TLV Fest. There will be no films produced or acted in by them.
The statement by Film Workers for Palestine said, ‘At such a critical moment, when governments of various countries are abetting this genocide, we will stand by and do everything we can to stop this horror. Israeli film production and distribution companies, sales agents and institutions associated with the country’s cinema have never supported the rights of the Palestinian people.
The list of filmmakers calling for a boycott of Israel includes Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, Adam McKay, Boots Riley, Emma Seligman, Joshua Oppenheimer, Mike Leigh, and others. The list of actors includes Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, Ayo Edbury, Lily Gladstone, Mark Ruffalo, Hannah Einbinder, Peter Sarsgaard, Aimee Lou Wood, Papa Acedu, Gael Garcia Bernal, Riz Ahmed, Melissa Barrera, Cynthia Nixon, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Joe Alwyn, Josh O’Connor, and others.
Later, Joaquin Phoenix, Nicola Coughlan, Andrew Garfield, Harris Dickinson, Rowan Young, Guy Pearce, Jonathan Glazer, Abbie Jacobson, Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia, and others were added to the list.
