The UK Guardian newspaper has published a letter from a group of “artists, producers, and concerned citizens” calling for the boycott of the 2015 London Israeli Film and Television Festival.
In the letter, the group directs disappointment at the cinemas and BAFTA saying, “We, the below listed artists, producers, and concerned citizens, are disappointed and saddened to see that Curzon, Odeon, Bafta and other cinemas are hosting the London Israeli Film and Television Festival.”
The letter goes on to say, “By hosting it, these cinemas are ignoring the 2004 call by Palestinian civil society for sanctions against Israel until Israel abides by international law and ends its illegal displacement of Palestinians, discrimination against them, and occupation of their land.”
The group denied that the boycott is directed at the filmmakers, saying “This is not a request to refuse to show films by individual film-makers, but to reject the involvement and financial support of the Israeli state. We call on these cinemas to stand with the oppressed Palestinian people and to take no part in presenting the festival.”
The group includes:
Saleh Bakri Actor
Frank Barat Activist
Leah Borromeo Film-maker
John Brissenden University lecturer
Brad Butler Artist
Sophie Carapetian Artist
Taghrid Choucair-Vizoso Performer
Tania El Khoury Artist
Gareth Evans Curator
Jordan Flaherty Director
Mahdi Fleifel Film-maker
Ramzi Haddad Producer
Umama Hamido Artist
Doug Holton Theatre maker
Annemarie Jacir Director
Ewa Jasiewicz Producer
Aki Kaurismäki Director
Sharon Kivland Artist, educator
Peter Kosminsky Director
Paul Laverty Screenwriter
Mike Leigh Director
Ken Loach Director
Miriam Margolyes Actress
Serenella Martufi Artist
Karen Mizra Film-maker
Jenny Morgan Documentary film-maker
Mira Nair Director
Rebecca O’Brien Producer
Monika Pampus Teacher
Miranda Pennell Film-maker
Agueda Perucho Film editor
John Pilger Film-maker
Sebastian Rex Writer
Abir Saksouk Architect
Petra Serhal Artist
Souheil Sleiman Sculptor
Stanley Schtinter Film-maker
Hind Shoufani Director
John Smith Film-maker
Paul Stroud Composer
SERET – London Israeli Film and Television Festival will be showcasing a program of feature films, shorts, documentaries and TV series, created by Israel’s most talented film and television makers, with many enjoying their UK premieres, from June 11-21, 2015. See the lineup on the festival’s Facebook page.
Pictured above: APPLES FROM THE DESERT – תפוחים מן המדבר playing at the 2015 SERET – London Israeli Film and Television Festival.
Updated: 6/12/15.