The 81st Venice International Film Festival witnessed Sarah Friedland's "Familiar Touch" win awards for Best Director, Best First Film, and Best Actress. During her acceptance speech for the Luigi de Laurentiis Prize, Friedland took the opportunity to make a political statement and voiced her support for Palestinians.
I hate using the phrase 'self-hating Jew', but have no issue doing so here, as Jewish director Sarah Friedland (@motionxpictures) received an award at #VeniceFilmFestival and then proceeded to spout lies against Israel and essentially call for genocide of the Jewish state. pic.twitter.com/FMbRl6q9zW
— Arsen Ostrovsky ?️ (@Ostrov_A) September 8, 2024
During her acceptance speech, she said, "As a Jewish American artist working in a time-based medium, I must note, I'm accepting this award on the 336th day of Israel's genocide in Gaza and 76th year of occupation. I believe it is our responsibility as filmmakers to use the institutional platforms through which we work to redress Israel's impunity on the global stage. I stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine and their struggle for liberation."
International Human Rights Lawyer and CEO of the International Human Rights Forum, Arsen Ostrovsky, called her a "self-hating Jew" who "spout lies against Israel and essentially called for genocide of the Jewish state."
