Taking a stand: Hollywood is at war with itself over Gaza

Gaza has pitted Hollywood against itself. And as the season of serious filmmaking arrives with the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals, the divisions it has wrought are back in the spotlight.

The brutal violence that began almost two years ago, on Oct. 7, 2023, has divided the entertainment community like few issues in recent decades, with torturous results. Unlike South African apartheid or even the war in Ukraine, issues the largely progressive industry could unite over, the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis remains a third rail, with convictions running deep and angry across the board. The documentary ‘No Other Land,’ which depicted oppression in the West Bank, won film festival acclaim last year and an Oscar but stirred such controversy that distributors didn’t want to touch it.

Both supporters of the Palestinians and those who defend Israel feel persecuted for their views — or are worried they will be. Almost from the start, there has been talk of reprisals against those who make their views known.

The Venice Film Fest kicked off last month with a huge street protest, along with calls for a “clear and unambiguous stand” against the “ongoing genocide in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing.” The group also wanted the festival to rescind invitations to actors featured in films premiering there, including the ‘In the Hand of Dante’ stars Gal Gadot, who is Israeli, and Gerard Butler, who made statements in support of Israel.

The festival organisers, as well as the ‘Dante’ filmmaker Julian Schnabel, responded by trying to return the focus to the films in the festival. Gadot and Butler were not disinvited, but they did not show up, either.

Meanwhile, ‘The Road Between Us: The Ultimate Rescue,’ a documentary by Canadian Barry Avrich, tells the story of a retired Israeli general, Noam Tibon, racing from Tel Aviv to the Nahal Oz kibbutz to try to save his children and grandchildren during the initial Hamas attack. It is scheduled to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival Wednesday.

It almost wasn’t. TIFF scheduled the film, then, claiming that because Hamas footage of the attack had not been cleared, pulled it. After more than 1,000 entertainment industry figures, including Amy Schumer and Debra Messing, signed a petition claiming the festival was silencing Jewish voices, TIFF returned the film to the schedule.

Venice and TIFF, which opened last Thursday, mark the unofficial kickoff of the annual awards season. The stars, the studios, and those who matter in Hollywood show up, along with the media. The very public disruptions surrounding the two festivals encapsulate the film world’s quandary: In an industry that supposedly champions free expression, Gaza has become an issue that can barely even be raised.

On one side is a deeply wary Jewish community that suspects, not without evidence, that stories that present Israel’s point of view sympathetically are unwelcome and that the rising threat of antisemitism is being ignored. On the other is a cohort of politically aware artists horrified by the carnage in Gaza, yet fear publicly supporting Palestinians could hurt their careers. Susan Sarandon spoke at a pro-Palestinian rally and was dropped by her talent agency. Melissa Barrera was booted from her role in the ‘Scream’ franchise for slamming Israel’s military response to Oct 7 attacks.

The ‘Snow White’ star Rachel Zegler posted, “And always remember, free Palestine,” during that film’s promotion. Certainly, Disney executives believe this didn’t help ‘Snow White,’ which did an anemic $206 million globally. Zegler is now unhirable for the movies because the Gaza war is not something anyone in the business wants discussed by one of their stars.

Defending Israel isn’t without consequence, either. Mayim Bialik lost her gig as a ‘Jeopardy’ host in December 2023 “because of her activism”. Gadot, who starred with Zegler in ‘Snow White,’ gave a revealing interview on Israeli TV on what she avoided previously: There’s a lot of pressure on celebrities to bring up things against Israel.” Like Zegler’s, Gadot’s career seems to have slowed. “Anybody that speaks up on behalf of Israel is hounded,” said Ari Ingel, a music manager who leads the group Creative Community for Peace.

Hollywood has always processed the political through telling human stories. Ingel pointed out that TIFF this year includes four films that tell Palestinian stories, which is why he is glad that his group was able to put ‘The Road Between Us’ on, too. One of them, director Kaouther Ben Hania’s Gaza drama ‘The Voice of Hind Rajab,’ won the second-place grand jury prize at Venice.

Both do what films do: bring the audience into the experiences and humanity of others, not themselves. Hollywood should never be afraid to do that.

@The New York Times