Australian Festivals, Broadcasters Reject Film on Antisemitism Post-Oct. 7

Major Australian film festivals in Sydney and Melbourne, along with public broadcasters ABC and SBS, have refused to screen the documentary "Cancelled," which addresses antisemitism and pressure faced by Jewish cultural figures following Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Director Danny Ben-Moshe announced the rejections, stating that the film's central theme is validated by these refusals.

The 88-minute film focuses on four Australian Jewish cultural figures: singer Deborah Conway, artist Nina Sanadze, writer Joshua Dabelstein, and circus performer Talia Sofizade. It specifically examines the incident where personal details of approximately 600 Jewish creatives were published after the October 7th attacks.

Despite the rejections from prominent cultural institutions, "Cancelled" will have its world premiere at the Australian Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF). Special screenings are scheduled for September 16 in Sydney and September 17 in Melbourne. The film is also slated for broadcast on News24 Australia, formerly known as Sky News Australia.

According to JNS, Ben-Moshe spent about two years making the film, initially aiming for a non-Jewish audience. The ABC, SBS, and the festival organizers have not publicly provided reasons for their decisions not to screen the documentary.