Boycott against Israeli film institutions: 1,400 filmmakers sign explanation

More than 1,400 filmmakers have signed an explanation in which they are committed not to work with Israeli film institutions, which, in the opinion of the signing “involved in genocide and apartheid, against the Palestinian people”.

The prominent signatories include the directors Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava Duvernay, Asif Kapadia, Boots Riley and Joshua Oppenheimer, as well as actresses such as Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Ayo Eldebiri, Riz Ahmed, Josh, Josh O’Connor, Cynthia Nixon, Joe Alwyn, Tobias Menzies, Miriam Margolyes, Aimee Lou Wood and many more.

The initiative, emphasizes the responsibility of the film industry: “As filmmakers, we are aware of the power of cinema, perceptions. In this urgent moment of the crisis, in which many of our governments enable the bloodbath in Gaza, we have to do everything we can to combat complicity in this incessant horror.”

According to its own statements, the explanation of the cultural boycott, which contributed to the end of apartheid in South Africa in the 1990s. The signatories undertake “to show no films, to appear at Israeli film institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies – or to otherwise work with them that are involved in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people,” said the statement. Examples of this are “the glossing over or justifying genocide and apartheid” and “the cooperation with the government that commits these crimes”.

In addition, the negligence makes it clear: the call is not directed against individual Israeli filmmakers, but against institutions.

“We follow the call to Palestinian filmmakers who have asked the international film industry to be silent, reject racism and dehumanization and ‘do everything possible to end the complicity in their oppression,” the explanation continues.