Over 200 Israeli Filmmakers Support Directors of Controversial Gaza Documentary

More than 200 Israeli filmmakers have signed a petition expressing solidarity with Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the directors of the documentary "No Other Land." The film, which won a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival last week, has sparked a heated debate in Israel. Prominent figures in Israeli cinema, including Ari Folman and Shlomi Elkabetz, are among the signatories who voiced concern over what they described as a campaign of incitement against the directors, suggesting the rhetoric has approached physical threats.

The petition calls for support for the directors, emphasizing the role of art and journalism in posing difficult questions to society and fostering public discussion, even on controversial topics. The signatories criticized the practice of attacking the film without having seen it, a tactic they noted has been primarily employed by politicians but has recently spread to wider circles. While acknowledging they had not yet seen the film themselves, they stressed that critiquing art is legitimate, but inciting and violent discourse against its creators is a disturbing phenomenon, regardless of one's stance on the film's content.

The filmmakers warned that the involvement of cultural, academic, and media figures in criticizing the film without viewing it could degrade public discourse in Israel and embolden threats, such as the one made by Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar regarding the potential revocation of the directors' citizenship. They expressed hope that "No Other Land" will be distributed in Israel soon, allowing the public to see it, form their own opinions, and initiate a national discussion about the war in Gaza and its consequences.

The petition joins statements from the Israeli Documentary Forum and the Directors Guild, which condemned the threats Abraham and Szor have faced on social media. The Documentary Forum affirmed the right of filmmakers to document and present reality, even if their perspective is controversial or rejected by segments of society. They stated that while disagreement with the film's interpretation and context is permissible, the threats, particularly death threats, are not artistic criticism but an attempt to instill fear in those who express themselves creatively.

"No Other Land" is based on testimonies from 24 Israeli intelligence and military personnel and aims to highlight mechanisms that, according to its creators, enabled the widespread killing of civilians in Gaza. The film's win at Venice and subsequent controversy in Israel have divided opinions, with some viewing it as a work that raises difficult questions about the war, while others strongly reject its narrative and content.