Overview

• Hamdan Ballal, Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land,' was attacked by settlers and detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank earlier this week.
• Ballal was held blindfolded for 24 hours and mocked by soldiers referencing his Oscar win before being released; he is now recovering from his injuries.
• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a vague statement condemning harm to artists but did not specifically mention Ballal or his film, drawing widespread criticism.
• Over 500 Academy members, including prominent figures like Mark Ruffalo and Ava DuVernay, signed an open letter condemning the Academy's lack of direct support for Ballal.
• The Academy Board of Governors is currently holding an emergency meeting to address the backlash and consider further action as global calls for artistic freedom and accountability grow.