More than 3,400 filmmakers have pledged to boycott Israeli film institutions. The pledge was posted by Film Workers for Palestine and has drawn support from some high-profile stars.
Actress Emma Stone, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, actor Mark Ruffalo, “The Bear’s” Ayo Edebiri and Aimee Lou Wood from “The White Lotus” are among the thousands who signed. The group’s statement calls on film industry members to answer a direct appeal from Palestinian artists who urged the international film community to take action.
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Inspired by apartheid-era boycott
The campaign’s website says it takes inspiration from Filmmakers United Against Apartheid, formed in 1987. At the time, directors like Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese urged President Ronald Reagan to back sanctions and boycott South Africa over apartheid.
Supporters say the new pledge follows the same logic, using cultural isolation to increase political pressure.
The pledge’s 3,400 and counting signees promise “not to screen films, appear at or otherwise work with Israeli film institutions — including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies — that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.”
The signatories also include progressive Jewish artists such as Ilana Glazer and Hannah Einbinder, who have both been vocal about Palestine.
Focus on institutions, not identity
Film Workers for Palestine stressed the pledge does not target Israeli identity. Instead, it specifically calls out institutions.
The group pointed to a recent International Court of Justice ruling that found a “plausible risk of genocide” in Gaza.
The pledge, posted Sept. 8, came shortly after thousands participated in a pro-Palestinian protest during the Venice International Film Festival. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry also recently announced the Palestinian death toll has surpassed 63,000 people.
Response from Israel
Nadav Ben Simon, chairman of the Israeli screenwriters’ guild, told The Guardian the boycott is “deeply troubling.”
“For decades, Israeli creators, artists, and storytellers — myself included — have devoted our work to reflecting the complexity of our reality,” he wrote. “We have consistently given voice to Palestinian narratives, criticism of government policies, and the diverse perspectives that shape our society.”
The film workers’ pledge is only the latest in a wave of boycott letters. Venice4Palestine, a petition signed by more than 1,000 Italian filmmakers, also called for cutting ties with Israeli institutions.
A boycott will not shut down Israel’s film industry overnight. The country has dozens of theaters, and The Guardian estimates that it generates an estimated $80 million in box office revenue.
However, supporters say the boycott could reduce international premieres, affect cultural institutions like the Jerusalem Film Festival, and isolate Israel’s film scene.
Much like the anti-apartheid movement of the 1980s, backers hope the cultural pressure adds weight to international calls for political change.
