September 11, 2025 | 07:36 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - More than 3,900 international filmmakers, including actors and Palme d'Or-winning directors, have signed a pledge refusing to collaborate with Israeli film institutions. The signatories believe that several film agencies and companies in Israel are involved in the genocide and apartheid system against Palestinians in Gaza, and they call on the global film industry not to remain silent in the face of these humanitarian crimes.
Boycott Pledge from Thousands of Hollywood Filmmakers
Citing Variety, thousands of filmmakers, including Joaquin Phoenix, Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, Adam McKay, Boots Riley, Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, and Riz Ahmed, have signed a pledge initiated by Film Workers for Palestine. In a statement released on Monday, September 8, 2025, this organization mentioned that the actions of the Israeli film industry, which are considered to "favour" or "whitewash" genocide and apartheid, constitute an undeniable form of involvement.
The pledge asserts that filmmakers will refuse to appear, participate, or showcase their work at festivals, cinemas, broadcasting stations, and production companies in Israel that are deemed to be involved in human rights violations. Festivals such as the Jerusalem Film Festival, Haifa International Film Festival, Docaviv, and TLVfest are among those highlighted.
Emma Stone poses at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, USA, January 5, 2025. REUTERS/Daniel Cole
Quoting Sky News, Rebecca O'Brien, producer of Palme d'Or and BAFTA who has worked with Ken Loach, emphasized that for decades, festivals, broadcasting stations, and production companies in Israel have played a role in justifying their apartheid system and war crimes through partnerships with the government. "I refuse to have my work used to whitewash genocide," she said.
Background of the Pledge Signing
Film Workers for Palestine explained that this pledge is inspired by the Filmmakers United Against Apartheid movement in 1987, founded by Jonathan Demme, Martin Scorsese, and 100 other leading filmmakers. This movement demanded that the US film industry refuse to distribute films in South Africa during apartheid. Film Workers for Palestine asserts that the international community, including filmmakers and film workers, has a moral responsibility to reject humanitarian crimes and support the full rights of the Palestinian people.
This step is part of the global response to the escalating conflict in Gaza. Since the war began, the death toll has reached tens of thousands in Gaza, while Israeli military attacks have been criticized by international genocide experts. Previously, over 7,000 writers and book workers had signed a similar pledge to boycott Israeli publishers involved in human rights violations.
In addition, in the UK, hundreds of public figures, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Dua Lipa, and Gary Lineker, signed a letter urging the government to stop UK's involvement in the Gaza conflict. The UK government has stated its opposition to Israel's military expansion in Gaza and suspended export licenses for goods used in military operations in the region.
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