Overview

• An open letter published on the opening day of Cannes 2025 has gained significant traction, with notable additions like Joaquin Phoenix, Guillermo del Toro, and Riz Ahmed signing on.
• The letter criticizes the film industry's silence on the Gaza conflict and calls for cinema to actively oppose oppression and genocide through its platform.
• It highlights the killing of Palestinian photojournalist Fatma Hassouna and her family in an Israeli strike, as well as the detention of filmmaker Hamdan Ballal earlier this year.
• Since October 2023, foreign journalists have been barred from Gaza, with over 200 journalists reportedly killed, raising concerns about media censorship and safety.
• The movement underscores a broader call for artistic responsibility, urging filmmakers to amplify marginalized voices and reject complicity in global injustices.