Thousands of actors, directors and film industry professionals have signed a pledge vowing not to work with Israeli film institutions they say are 'implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people'. The pledge, shared exclusively with the Guardian, draws inspiration from the cultural boycott that helped end apartheid in South Africa.
Signatories include Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone and many others. As of Wednesday, the letter had surpassed 3,900 signatories, according to Variety. The pledge commits signatories not to screen films, appear at or work with complicit institutions such as festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies.
Screenwriter David Farr, a signatory, said: 'As the descendant of Holocaust survivors, I am distressed and enraged by the actions of the Israeli state... The cultural boycott was significant in South Africa. It will be significant this time.'
The pledge's FAQ states that Israel's major film festivals continue to partner with the Israeli government during its military campaign in Gaza, which leading experts have defined as genocide. It clarifies that the boycott targets institutions, not individuals, and does not prohibit working with Israeli individuals or Palestinian citizens of Israel.
