Pro-Palestinian activists took center stage at the U.S. premiere of Pedro Almodóvar’s new film, “The Room Next Door,” at the 2024 New York Film Festival. Their protest came as a harsh criticism of Israel in amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The famous director supported his actions during the event.
Thus, after the screening, there was a discussion with Almodávar, as well as with the actresses Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, and the actor John Turturro. However, three pro-Palestinian protesters began shouting slogans against the festival, claiming that it was collaborating with the “Zionist entity” in its “genocide in Gaza.”
These protesters are part of a broader movement calling for a boycott of the festival. They are not even happy with the fact that the New York Film Festival is already carrying out an unofficial boycott of Israeli cinema. This year, the festival will not screen a single Israeli film except for the documentary No Other Land, directed by Israeli director Yuval Avraham. Although the film has an Israeli director, it was not produced or financed by Israel. Furthermore, the film criticizes the Jewish State.
The festival takes place at Lincoln Center, the largest performing arts center in New York and, indeed, the world. Some of its donors are identified as Zionists, including hedge funders Bill Ackerman and David Geffen. For protesters, this is enough to demand that the festival cut ties with them.
The protesters’ logic is simple: Israel is committing genocide. The festival accepts money from people who collaborate with Israel. Consequently, the festival is collaborating in the genocide that Israel is allegedly committing.
Another claim by protesters is that the festival receives funding from the Michael Bloomberg Foundation, which supports the Bloomberg-Segal Center in Tel Aviv. Activists claim that the center “trains municipal leaders of illegal settlements such as Beit El and Modi’in Ilit and therefore participates in war crimes, ethnic cleansing and apartheid.”
Before the screening, protesters circulated an open letter demanding that the festival sever all ties with anyone who supports Israel. The letter was signed by numerous filmmakers who participated in the festival this year or in the past, including directors and Jews known for their anti-Israel stance, such as Mike Leigh. The letter was also signed by Yuval Avraham.
Regarding Almodóvar’s show, he expressed his support for the protesters. As security elements attempted to evict the protesters, Almodóvar demanded that they be given the opportunity to speak.
He commented on his criticism of Zionist donors by saying: “Today neoliberalism goes hand in hand with the extreme right.” In a more measured tone, he acknowledged that his film, and films in general, could not solve all the world’s problems, and expressed his hope that great powers like China and India would do it for him.
“Neoliberalism and the extreme right go hand in hand.” Pedro Almodovar @TheNYFF pic.twitter.com/9a62qyAgo2
– erickohn (@erickohn) October 4, 2024
Tilda Swinton repeatedly thanked protesters for their “important words” and urged the public to pay attention to the atrocities taking place in Syria and Lebanon. Julian Moore, whose husband is Jewish, and John Turturro, known as a friend of Israeli cinema, remained silent. None of the speakers mentioned Israeli hostages or victims.
It’s happening right now. #NYFF62 pic.twitter.com/phlpgj0CBi
– Tomris Laffly (@TomiLaffly) October 5, 2024
Cursor previously wrote that the idea of a Palestinian state was criticized by a Lebanese director.
