More than 370 Hollywood Celebs Slam Industry’s Gaza Silence in Open Letter Ahead of Cannes
The open letter highlights the death of Fatma Hassona, a 25-year-old Palestinian freelance photojournalist killed in an Israeli airstrike
A growing number of Hollywood celebrities and international filmmakers have signed an open letter condemning the film industry’s silence over what they describe as “genocide” in Gaza.
The letter, published on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival, specifically decried the killing of Gazan photojournalist Fatma Hassona, who was the subject of a documentary set to premiere at the festival.
The letter was signed by more than 370 actors and filmmakers, including high-profile names such as Joaquin Phoenix, Pedro Pascal, Riz Ahmed, Guillermo del Toro, Juliette Binoche, Rooney Mara, Jim Jarmusch, Omar Sy, Michael Moore, and Alice Rohrwacher.
Earlier signatories included Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem, Pedro Almodovar, Ruben Ostlund, Guy Pearce, David Cronenberg, Alfonso Cuaron, Mike Leigh, and others. The letter was published in prominent outlets such as Variety and Libération.
The letter denounces the film industry’s “shameful passivity” and calls on cinema professionals to “rise up” and “name reality,” urging them to use their platform to advocate for justice and amplify marginalised voices.
It highlights the death of Fatma Hassona, a 25-year-old Palestinian freelance photojournalist killed in an Israeli airstrike on April 16, 2025, along with ten family members, just after her documentary “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” was selected for Cannes.
The letter also criticises the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its lack of immediate support for Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal after he was assaulted by Israeli settlers earlier in the year.
