We, the below listed artists, producers, and concerned citizens, are disappointed

and saddened to see that Curzon, Odeon, Bafta and other cinemas are hosting
the London Israeli Film and Television Festival.
This comes at a time when the global boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS)
movement against Israel is gaining unprecedented momentum, and the Israeli
government is finding itself increasingly isolated for its systematic violation of
Palestinian human rights, the Geneva conventions, and international law. The
Israeli state is promoting this festival and supporting it financially. By hosting it,
these cinemas are ignoring the 2004 call by Palestinian civil society for sanctions
against Israel until Israel abides by international law and ends its illegal
displacement of Palestinians, discrimination against them, and occupation of their
land.
This festival comes in the aftermath of the wanton destruction and killing in the
Gaza Strip by the Israeli military in 2014, and the re-election of an Israeli prime
minister who denies Palestinians their equal rights and self-determination.
The festival is co-sponsored by the Israeli government via the Israeli embassy in
London, creating a direct link between these cinemas, the festival screenings and
Israeli policies. By benefiting from money from the Israeli state, the cinemas
become silent accomplices to the violence inflicted on the Palestinian people.
Such collaboration and cooperation is unacceptable. It normalises, even if
unintentionally, the Israeli governments violent, systematic and illegal oppression
of the Palestinians.
This is not a request to refuse to show films by individual film-makers, but to reject
the involvement and financial support of the Israeli state. We call on these
cinemas to stand with the oppressed Palestinian people and to take no part in
presenting the festival.
Saleh Bakri Actor
Frank Barat Activist
Leah Borromeo Film-maker
John Brissenden University lecturer
Luke Bryant Cinematographer
Brad Butler Artist
Sophie Carapetian Artist
Taghrid Choucair-Vizoso Performer

Tania El Khoury Artist

Gareth Evans Curator
Jordan Flaherty Director
Mahdi Fleifel Film-maker
Ramzi Haddad Producer
Umama Hamido Artist
Doug Holton Theatre maker
Annemarie Jacir Director
Ewa Jasiewicz Producer
Aki Kaurismki Director
Sharon Kivland Artist, educator
Peter Kosminsky Director
Paul Laverty Screenwriter
Mike Leigh Director
Ken Loach Director
Miriam Margolyes Actress
Serenella Martufi Artist
Karen Mizra Film-maker
Jenny Morgan Documentary film-maker
Mira Nair Director
Rebecca OBrien Producer
Monika Pampus Teacher
Miranda Pennell Film-maker
Agueda Perucho Film editor
John Pilger Film-maker
Sebastian Rex Writer
Abir Saksouk Architect
Petra Serhal Artist
Souheil Sleiman Sculptor
Stanley Schtinter Film-maker
Hind Shoufani Director
John Smith Film-maker
Paul Stroud Composer