More than 350 prominent film industry figures have published an open letter on the opening day of the Cannes Film Festival that expressed collective shame over what they described as the film industry's passivity in response to events in Gaza, Variety reported.
The letter condemns the killing of Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassona, who was the protagonist of "Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk," a documentary selected for screening in the ACID section of the prestigious event.
The letter was signed by internationally recognized actors including Mark Ruffalo, Ralph Fiennes, Melissa Barrera, and Javier Bardem, along with directors Pedro Almodóvar, David Cronenberg, Alfonso Cuarón, and hundreds of other cinema professionals from around the world.
"We are ashamed of such passivity," the letter states. "Why is it that cinema, a breeding ground for socially committed works, seems to be so indifferent to the horror of reality and the oppression suffered by our sisters and brothers?
"As artists and cultural players, we cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza and this unspeakable news is hitting our communities hard," the letter continues, calling on the film industry to use its platform to protect oppressed voices and "draw lessons from history."
Other notable signatories include Academy Award nominees Guy Pearce and Viggo Mortensen, "Sex and the City" star Cynthia Nixon, acclaimed directors Mike Leigh, Alex Gibney, and Yorgos Lanthimos, and "Hacks" actress Hannah Einbinder.
"For all those who die in indifference. Cinema has a duty to carry their messages, to reflect our societies. Let's act before it's too late," The letter concluded. While addressing civilian casualties in Gaza, the letter makes no mention of the Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza since October 7, both living and deceased.
The letter mentioned what it called the "terrible massacres of October 7, 2023," after which it stated no foreign journalists have been permitted to enter Gaza. However, The text did not mention the Israeli casualties from the October 7 attack.
