Second update: The film workers for Palestine have reported hundreds of additions to its list of signatories, including the double winner of the Emma Stone Oscars, Peter Sarsgaard, Lily Gladstone and Elliot Page. The full list can be found here. Scroll down to read our initial history, including the answer from the Israeli Film & TV Producers Association.
Updated with the response of the Israeli association of film and television producers: The film workers of the Palestine Defense Group said on Monday that more than 1,000 high -level industry professionals, including names like Ava Duvernay and Olivia Colman, signed a commitment to boycott Israeli cinematographic institutions which are “involved in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people”.
The commitment was made public this morning with an open letter published on Instagram. Cinema workers for Palestine declare that 1,200 filmmakers, actors and workers in the film industry have signed the letter.
The high level names listed by the group include Adam McKay, Asif Kapadia, Duvernay, Ayo Edebiri, Boots Riley, Cynthia Nixon, Debra Winger, Emma Seligman, Gael García Bernal Dhont, Mark Ruffalo, Melissa Barrera, Morgan Spector, Colman, Riz Ahmed, Susan Sarandon, Tilda Swinton and Yorgos Lanthimos.
The group said that the commitment was inspired by the filmmakers from 1987 United against apartheid Movement, founded by Jonathan Demme and Martin Scorsese at the height of apartheid in South Africa.
“Inspired by the filmmakers united against apartheid, which refused to project their films in South Africa in apartheid, we are committed not to projecting films, to appear or work differently with Israeli cinematographic institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies – which are involved * in genocide and The Padesinians, ”was involved.
The organization said that examples of complicity include “money laundering or justification for genocide and apartheid, and / or a partnership with the government that commits them.”
In a statement in response to commitment, the Israeli film and TV Producers Association said: “The signatories of this petition are aimed at bad people.”
“For decades, we, Israeli artists, storytellers and creators, we were the main voices allowing the public to hear and see the complexity of the conflict, including the Palestinian accounts and the criticism of Israeli state policies,” said the press release.
“We are working with Palestinian creators, telling our stories shared and promoting peace and the end of violence through thousands of films, television series and documentaries. This call to a boycott is deeply wrong.”
The declaration continues to describe the boycott as “short -sighted”, used to “precisely eliminate the collaboration efforts working to end violence and to achieve peace”.
“We do not allow this and we will reject our efforts to put an end to violence and bring peace to our region for the benefit of all,” added the press release. “We call on the international community to recognize our commitment to dialogue, peace and speech at all sides of this conflict. Our stories are tools to understand and heal, and we will continue to use them to help end violence. ”
The guardian Reported for the first time on commitment.
Read the complete letter below.
As filmmakers, actors, workers in the film industry and institutions, we recognize the power of cinema to shape perceptions. In this urgent moment of crisis, where many of our governments allow carnage in Gaza, we must do our best to deal with the complicity in this relentless horror.
The highest court in the world, the International Court of Justice, judged that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza and that the occupation and apartheid of Israel against the Palestinians are illegal. To represent equality, justice and freedom for everyone is a deep moral duty that none of us can ignore. Likewise, we must now speak against the damage caused to the Palestinian people.
We respond to the call of Palestinian filmmakers, who urged the international film industry to refuse silence, racism and dehumanization, as well as “do everything humanly possible” to end the complicity in their oppression.
Inspired by the filmmakers united against apartheid which refused to project their films in South Africa in apartheid, we are committed not to project films, to appear or work otherwise with Israeli cinematographic institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies – which are involved * in the genocide and PADESTINIANS.
* Examples of complicity include whitening or justification of genocide and apartheid, and / or a partnership with the government that commits them.
Max Goldbart contributed to this report.
