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Nearly 1,000 film figures malign Israeli genocide in Gaza
The letter, part of an initiative dubbed Artists for Fatem, surfaced just ahead of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, casting a long shadow over the glamour and celebration associated with the event. Among the prominent signatories is Ralph Fiennes, famed for his role in Schindler’s List, a film that many critics now see in stark contrast to his stand today. He is joined by Oscar-winning actress Juliette Binoche, who currently chairs the Cannes jury, and a diverse coalition of actors and filmmakers including Rooney Mara, Jonathan Glazer, Jim Jarmusch, Susan Sarandon, Pedro Almodóvar, Mark Ruffalo, Richard Gere, and French actor Omar Sy, Middle East Eye reported.
The campaign was sparked by the death of 25-year-old Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, affectionately known as “Fatem,” who was killed in an Israeli airstrike alongside ten members of her family in northern Gaza. The attack came just one day after a documentary featuring her life and work was announced as part of Cannes’ ACID selection.
The letter, published by Middle East Eye, reads in part: “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.”
It continues: “Fatem was not just a journalist. She was a storyteller. She gave voice to a people relentlessly silenced by occupation and war. Her loss is not only personal — it is political.”
The signatories are calling not only for an end to the violence but for accountability in the institutions that have, in their words, “turned away” in the face of mass civilian suffering. The petition critiques the complicity of silence, especially from industries that so often pride themselves on championing human rights and justice through art.
The ongoing Israeli onslaught on Gaza, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced over a million Palestinians since October, has been widely condemned by human rights organizations, but receives continued political and military backing from the United States and its allies.
The Artists for Fatem initiative is being hailed by activists as a rare and brave break from the often cautious tones of the entertainment industry, particularly in the U.S., where criticism of Israel can come at a professional cost.