Academy Issues Apology After Over 600 Members Condemn Muted Response to Filmmaker Hamdan Ballal’s Arrest
Ballal, co-director of No Other Land, was reportedly attacked by Israeli settlers in his hometown of Susiya, West Bank, before being detained by Israeli forces
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences faced significant backlash after its initial muted response to the arrest and assault of Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal.
Over 600 Academy members, including prominent figures like Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Emma Thompson, Joaquin Phoenix, and Olivia Colman, signed an open letter condemning the Academy’s failure to directly address Ballal and his film, No Other Land, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary earlier in March.
Ballal, co-director of No Other Land, was reportedly attacked by Israeli settlers in his hometown of Susiya, West Bank, before being detained by Israeli forces on Tuesday, March 25. He sustained injuries to his head and stomach and was released the following day.
The Academy’s initial statement on Wednesday did not mention Ballal or the film by name; instead, it vaguely condemned “harm to artists” and suggested members might have “many unique viewpoints” on the issue. This was widely criticized as insufficient and evasive.
In response to the outcry, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang issued a new statement on Friday, explicitly naming Ballal and apologizing for the omission. They stated, “We regret that we failed to directly acknowledge Mr. Ballal and the film by name. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Ballal and all artists who felt unsupported by our previous statement and want to make it clear that the Academy condemns violence of this kind anywhere in the world. We abhor the suppression of free speech under any circumstances”.
The open letter from Academy members emphasized that the attack on Ballal was not just an assault on one filmmaker but on all those who dare to tell uncomfortable truths. It also highlighted the significance of No Other Land winning an Oscar without the extensive financial campaigns typical of many contenders.
The Academy’s apology marked a shift in its stance, acknowledging the importance of standing by its filmmakers in the face of violence and suppression.
