Giornate degli Autori are reissuing this text, already shared by the international community at Cannes, updated in light of the ongoing dramatic situation in Palestine

Festival after Festival, the killing continues.

In Cannes, more than 1000 of us have gathered from all over the world to support a statement crying out our pain and rage for the killing by Israeli army of Fatma Hassona and her family. 

Since then, the killing never stopped. Awdah Hateleen, peace activist, teacher, member of the team of the Oscar Documentary No Other Land, has been killed by a settler in Umm Al-Khair.

Since then, Israel targeted and killed one of the last journalists crew present in Gaza: Anas Al-Sharif and 5 colleagues from Al-Jazeera. More than 250 journalists have been killed since the terrible massacres of 7 October 2023. 

Since then, the number of civilians killed by the army, by hunger, by settlers and in prisons never stop growing. We count more than 150.000 Palestinians injured since October 2023. 

In Gaza, everyone is a target.

As artists and cultural players, we cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza and daily unspeakable news is hitting our communities hard.

What is the point of our professions if not to draw lessons from history, to make films that are committed, if we are not present to protect oppressed voices?

Let’s refuse to let our art be an accomplice to the worst. 

Let us rise up. 

Let us name reality.

Let us collectively dare to look at it with the precision of our sensitive hearts, so that it can no longer be silenced and covered up. 

Let us reject the propaganda that constantly colonises our imaginations and makes us lose our sense of humanity.

We are numerous, and we are everywhere. We are in Venice and all the spotlights are on us.

We have a duty to reflect the change that is demanded. We must weigh our responsibility to echo the stories and the voices of all those who die in indifference.

For Fatma, for Awdah, for Anas, for all children, women, elderly, journalists and doctors, civilians.

Cinema has a duty to carry their messages, to reflect our societies. 

Let’s act before it’s too late. From Venice to Gaza, we must use our power, every day, every hour, and with every breath. We should use every stage to call for an end to the genocide.