MORE THAN 450 Jewish actors and Hollywood professionals have signed an open letter condemning an Oscar winner’s speech that was given by director Jonathan Glazer.
Glazer directed the film ‘The Zone of Interest’, which won Best International Feature Film at the recent Oscars.
The Zone of Interest is a historical drama set during the Holocaust about a family who live near the Auschwitz concentration camp.
Glazer, who himself is Jewish, said during his acceptance speech: “Our film shows where dehumanisation leads at its worst.
“Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation, which has led to conflict for so many people.
“Whether the victims of 7 October in Israel, or the ongoing attack in Gaza, all the victims of his dehumanisation. How do we resist?”
Glazer’s speech received applause within the Dolby Theatre where the awards were being held.
However, an open letter by a group named ‘Jewish Hollywood Professionals’ has condemned the speech and said it “gives credence to the modern blood libel that fuels a growing anti-Jewish hatred around the world”.
Some signees to the open letter include Will & Grace star Debra Messing, horror director Eli Roth, and The Morning Show actress Julianna Margulies.
The letter was shared with Variety, who note that it is unclear how the letter came together.
“We refute our Jewishness being hijacked for the purpose of drawing a moral equivalence between a Nazi regime that sought to exterminate a race of people, and an Israeli nation that seeks to avert its own extermination,” said the open letter.
It adds that Israel is targeting Hamas and is not targeting civilians.
As of this morning, the health ministry in Gaza said at least 31,819 people have been killed in the territory since 7 October, most of them women and children.
“The moment Hamas releases the hostages and surrenders is the moment this heartbreaking war ends,” said the letter.
“This has been true since the Hamas attacks of 7 October.”
The open letter further states that the use of words like “occupation” to describe “indigenous Jewish people defending a homeland that dates back thousands of years distorts history”.
“The current climate of growing antisemitism only underscores the need for the Jewish State of Israel, a place which will always take us in, as no state did during the Holocaust depicted in Mr. Glazer’s film.”
Prior to his film breakthrough with the critically acclaimed ‘Sexy Beast’ starring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley, Glazer was known for his work in advertising campaigns, including the famous ‘Surfer’ ad.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say