More than 1,200 film and television professionals worldwide have pledged to boycott Israeli film institutions, citing alleged complicity in human rights abuses against Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict.
The pledge, organized by the advocacy group Film Workers for Palestine, includes acclaimed directors Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, and Asif Kapadia, as well as actors Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Tilda Swinton, Riz Ahmed, Josh O’Connor, and Ayo Edebiri.
Signatories commit to refusing work with Israeli film festivals, production companies, broadcasters, and cinemas that partner with the Israeli government.
The group said its boycott was inspired by the cultural boycott against apartheid South Africa in the 1980s, which was supported by filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme.
The pledge criticizes Israeli institutions for “whitewashing or rationalizing genocide and apartheid” against Palestinians, citing the Jerusalem Film Festival as one example.
Film Workers for Palestine stressed that while many Israeli film professionals operate within the country’s system, broader institutions continue to normalize acts considered unlawful by international law.
The pledge also referenced the International Court of Justice’s recognition of credible risks of genocide in Gaza and the illegality of Israeli occupation and apartheid.
Actors and filmmakers signing the pledge described the move as an important moral stance. Julia Sawalha called it a “vital act of conscience” in response to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.
The organizers said cinema carries the power to influence public perception and should not be used to justify oppression.
This action follows broader international calls for solidarity from artists and writers. It is one of the largest cultural statements from the global arts community since the escalation of the conflict in Gaza.
