Film stars blast Academy for ‘failing to defend’ Palestinian filmmaker

Movie stars Joaquin Phoenix, Penelope Cruz, and Richard Gere criticized the Academy for not defending Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, who was attacked by Israeli settlers. The Academy initially remained silent, prompting over 600 members to condemn the assault and demand stronger action. The film “No Other Land,” which won an Oscar for best documentary, depicts the displacement of Palestinians by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, but has struggled to find a US distributor despite its accolades.

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