Academy apologizes to Palestinian filmmaker, still omits aggressors

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
29 Mar 2025 19:39
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The Academy has released another letter apologizing for its initial response to Ballal's assault, but still failed to name the Israeli culprits once again.

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Hamdan Ballal, winner of the award for best documentary feature film for "No Other Land," attended the Governors Ball after the Oscars on Sunday, March 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP)

After coming under fire for its lack of support for No Other Land co-director Hamdan Ballal, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a statement apologizing to the Palestinian filmmaker for not recognizing him or his film following his brutal assault and detention by the Israeli occupation forces.

However, the Academy, despite coming under intense criticism, still failed to mention the aggressors. Initially, a letter was released condemning violence against artists. Ballal was not directly mentioned, nor was his film.

The vague nature of the statement triggered strong reactions within the film community. More than 600 Academy members responded with a signed letter criticizing the leadership's muted stance. "It is indefensible for an organization to recognize a film with an award in the first week of March and then fail to defend its filmmakers just a few weeks later," they wrote.

The letter further stated, "We stand in condemnation of the brutal assault and unlawful detention of Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal by settlers and Israeli forces in the West Bank." According to the signatories, the Academy's official response "fell far short of the sentiments this moment calls for."

Following the outcry from the Hollywood community, the Oscars issued another statement, which read:

On Wednesday, we sent a letter in response to reports of violence against Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal, co-director of No Other Land, connected to his artistic expression.

We regret that we failed to directly acknowledge Mr. Ballal and the film by name. We sincerely apologize to Mr. Ballal and all artists who felt unsupported by our previous statement and want to make it clear that the Academy condemns violence of this kind anywhere in the world. We abhor the suppression of free speech under any circumstances.

Ballal, whose documentary won Best Documentary at this year's Academy Awards, said he was assaulted earlier this week, held at gunpoint, and detained at a military center where soldiers referenced both his name and the word "Oscar" during shift changes.

He was released on Tuesday after being held on accusations of "hurling rocks." Speaking to AFP, Ballal said the "brutality" of the encounter "made me feel it was because I won the Oscar."

Despite the outcry, the Academy still failed to directly condemn the attack by Israeli settlers, or make any mention of Palestine or "Israel" in its statement.