Global Filmmakers Refuse to Work With Israeli Film Bodies Over Gaza Crisis

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More than 1,200 actors, directors, and film professionals have signed a new pledge refusing to work with Israeli film institutions. The group says it is taking this step because these institutions are “implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.”

The pledge, shared with The Guardian, emphasizes the role of cinema in shaping public opinion. “As filmmakers, actors, film industry workers, and institutions, we recognize the power of cinema to shape perceptions. In this urgent moment of crisis, where many of our governments are enabling the carnage in Gaza, we must do everything we can to address complicity in that unrelenting horror,” the statement read.

The signatories have committed not to screen films at, appear at, or otherwise work with Israeli film institutions. This includes festivals, cinemas, broadcasters, and production companies identified as supporting or justifying Israeli policies.

The pledge draws inspiration from Filmmakers United Against Apartheid, a group of artists who boycotted South African institutions during the apartheid era. The statement highlights that just as cultural boycotts played a role in South Africa’s struggle, today’s film industry must use its influence to stand against what it sees as injustice in Gaza.

The statement also references the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has ruled that there is a “plausible risk of genocide in Gaza.” It underscores that under international law, Israel’s occupation and policies toward Palestinians are unlawful. “So too, we must speak out now against the harm done to the Palestinian people,” the pledge declares.

The group points to forms of complicity, such as “whitewashing or justifying genocide and apartheid, and partnering with the government committing them.” By refusing to participate in Israeli film platforms, the professionals aim to cut ties that normalize or excuse such actions.

This move adds to a broader wave of cultural and academic boycotts that have emerged in response to the conflict in Gaza. With over 1,200 signatories, the film industry’s pledge marks one of the most significant collective stands in recent years from the global cultural community.