Paramount said it does “not agree with recent efforts to boycott Israeli film-makers”, making it the first major studio to respond to a recent pledge not to work with institutions that supported or were otherwise involved in the “genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people”.
The pledge circulated by an organization called Film Workers for Palestine has more than 4000 signatures including directors and actors like Jonathan Glazer, Ava DuVernay, Yorgos Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Olivia Colman and Mark Ruffalo.
“The world’s highest court, the international court of justice, has ruled that there is a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, and that Israel’s occupation and apartheid against Palestinians are unlawful,” the pledge reads.
“Standing for equality, justice, and freedom for all people is a profound moral duty that none of us can ignore. So too, we must speak out now against the harm done to the Palestinian people. We answer the call of Palestinian film-makers, who have urged the international film industry to refuse silence, racism, and dehumanization, as well as to ‘do everything humanly possible’ to end complicity in their oppression.”
In a statement, Paramount, which was recently acquired by the family of billionaire Larry Ellison and private equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, said “the global entertainment industry should be encouraging artists to tell their stories and share their ideas with audiences throughout the world”.
“We believe in the power of storytelling to connect and inspire people, promote mutual understanding, and preserve the moments, ideas, and events that shape the world we share,” said a statement provided to the LA Times and attributed to the company. “We do not agree with recent efforts to boycott Israeli film-makers. Silencing individual creative artists based on their nationality does not promote better understanding or advance the cause of peace.”
A spokesperson for Film Workers for Palestine said that the pledge does not target individuals based on their identity, and rather is a boycott of “complicit Israeli film institutions and companies”.
“We sincerely hope that Paramount, in its statement today, isn’t intentionally misrepresenting the pledge in an attempt to silence our colleagues in the film industry,” the organization said in a statement. “Such a move would only shield a genocidal regime from criticism at a time when global outrage is exponentially growing and while meaningful steps towards accountability are being taken by many.”
The organization also pointed to Ellison’s close relationship with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Should Israeli film institutions wish to continue working with pledge signatories, their choice is clear: end complicity in Israel’s genocide and apartheid, and endorse the full rights of the Palestinian people under international law, in line with Palestinian civil society guidelines,” the statement reads. “To date, almost none has.”
The artists who signed the pledge said they were inspired by the “Filmmakers United Against Apartheid, who refused to screen their films in apartheid South Africa”.
“We pledge not to screen films, appear at or otherwise work with Israeli film institutions – including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies – that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people,” the pledge reads.
