Joaquin Phoenix, Jewish figures, support Jonathan Glazer’s pro-Gaza Oscars Speech

[Bambino 24,164]

Joaquin Phoenix, Elliott Gould, Chloe Fineman and more than 150 other Jewish creatives have signed an open letter in support of Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars speech.

The list of 151 signees obtained by Variety also includes Phoenix’s sister Rain, three-time Oscar nominee Debra Winger, “May December” director Todd Haynes, “Sorry to Bother You” helmer Boots Riley, acclaimed filmmaker Joel Coen, “Room” director Lenny Abrahamson, “Arrested Development” star David Cross, documentarian Amy Berg, “Barbie” actor Hari Nef, legendary playwright Tom Stoppard, former Focus Pictures CEO James Schamus, comedian Kate Berlant, “You Hurt My Feelings” director Nicole Holofcener, “Secrets & Lies” auteur Mike Leigh, “Passages” filmmaker Ira Sachs, “Gossip Girl” actor and writer Tavi Gevinson, “The Princess Bride” actor Wallace Shawn, “Bottoms” director Emma Seligman, “Mistress America” star Lola Kirke, “Zola” helmer Janicza Bravo, “Broad City” stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson and IndieWire film critic David Ehrlich.

Variety has reached out to personal representatives for many of the signatories, as well as independently reviewed documents confirming their participation.

In a statement to Variety, Ilana Glazer said, “I signed this letter to help counter the climate of silencing that many workplaces and industries are facing around Israel’s war on Gaza, now entering its seventh month. This controversy surrounding Jonathan Glazer is just one example.”

Added Schamus, “It has been weeks since Jonathan Glazer’s acceptance speech at the Academy Awards, but, as we’re reminded by this week’s unconscionable killing of seven World Center Kitchen aid workers — and of countless more Palestinian civilians — his plea for humanity has only become more urgent, as has our duty as Jewish creatives to protest the vicious smear campaign waged against him.”

After Glazer’s Holocaust drama “The Zone of Interest” won the Oscar for best international feature at the March 10 ceremony, the director used his speech to address the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. “All our choices were made to reflect and confront us in the present, not to say look what they did then, but rather look what we do now. Our film shows where dehumanization leads at its worst. It’s shaped all of our past and present,” Glazer said. “Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people. Whether the victims of October — whether the victims of October the 7th in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims of this dehumanization, how do we resist?”

His words were met with both backlash and praise. In an open letter published on March 18, over 1,000 Jewish creatives and execs denounced Glazer’s speech for helping to fuel “growing anti-Jewish hatred around the world,” while others like director Ken Loach have come to his defense by calling his statement “brave” and “hugely valuable.” Glazer has yet to publicly address the backlash to the speech, but earlier this week the director donated seven signed “Zone of Interest” posters to a Cinema for Gaza auction raising money for Medical Aid for Palestinians.

“We are Jewish artists, filmmakers, writers and creative professionals who support Jonathan Glazer’s statement from the 2024 Oscars. We were alarmed to see some of our colleagues in the industry mischaracterize and denounce his remarks,” the open letter reads. “Their attacks on Glazer are a dangerous distraction from Israel’s escalating military campaign which has already killed over 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza and brought hundreds of thousands to the brink of starvation.

The letter continues, “The attacks on Glazer also have a silencing effect on our industry, contributing to a broader climate of suppression of free speech and dissent, the very qualities our field should cherish. Glazer, Tony Kushner, Steven Spielberg and countless other artists of all backgrounds have decried the killing of Palestinian civilians. We should all be able to do the same without being wrongly accused of fueling antisemitism.”

“We honor the Holocaust by saying: Never again for anyone,” the statement concludes.

Variety.com

[Bambino 24,164]

Pro-genocide and pro-Israel on here be like: Joaquin Phoenix, Jewish figures, are Hamas supporters

[DitaDolla 11,006]

55 minutes ago, Bambino said:

“Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness”

I am not very educated on this on-going war, but as a jewish person myself, seeing a man who made a film about the holocaust say THAT, doesn’t sit right with me. Especially when antisemitism attacks are at an all time high since the holocaust.

You can support the palestinian people AND not deny your identity.

[Kevbev 396]

7 minutes ago, DitaDolla said:

I am not very educated on this on-going war, but as a jewish person myself, seeing a man who made a film about the holocaust say THAT, doesn’t sit right with me. Especially when antisemitism attacks are at an all time high since the holocaust.

You can support the palestinian people AND not deny your identity.

Finish the quote.

[ProfessionalClown 10,647]

14 minutes ago, DitaDolla said:

I am not very educated on this on-going war, but as a jewish person myself, seeing a man who made a film about the holocaust say THAT, doesn’t sit right with me. Especially when antisemitism attacks are at an all time high since the holocaust.

You can support the palestinian people AND not deny your identity.

i think the fact that he made a film about it and STILL said it, is a stronger thing to think about than anything 

[Dennis 8,391]

27 minutes ago, DitaDolla said:

I am not very educated on this on-going war, but as a jewish person myself, seeing a man who made a film about the holocaust say THAT, doesn’t sit right with me. Especially when antisemitism attacks are at an all time high since the holocaust.

You can support the palestinian people AND not deny your identity.

He meant well but worded it extremely poorly, in a way that can genuinely contribute to antisemitism.

I wish Joaquin Phoenix didn't decide to thrust himself into this controversy at a time when Joker 2 is about to be released. 

1000+ Hollywood figures signed the letter condemning the speech.

If he felt the need to address the situation in Gaza, he should've released his own statement in support of a ceasefire, that is better worded rather than attaching himself to a divisive speech.

[LaLa 19,540]

52 minutes ago, DitaDolla said:

I am not very educated on this on-going war, but as a jewish person myself, seeing a man who made a film about the holocaust say THAT, doesn’t sit right with me. Especially when antisemitism attacks are at an all time high since the holocaust.

You can support the palestinian people AND not deny your identity.

 

The quote is: "Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation..."

He is not denying his identity, he is saying that he refutes having his Jewishness and the Holocaust being used as an excuse or a reason to commit horror on others 

[Bambino 24,164]

4 hours ago, DitaDolla said:

I am not very educated on this on-going war, but as a jewish person myself, seeing a man who made a film about the holocaust say THAT, doesn’t sit right with me. Especially when antisemitism attacks are at an all time high since the holocaust.

You can support the palestinian people AND not deny your identity.

1. It's not an ongoing war, it's a genocide that Israel has been committing since 1948.

2. Him being the director of a movie about massacring Jews and still saying he is against Israel's occupation and genocidal behaviours against Palestinians is a much stronger statement and clearly it was well-received by many, including Jews.

3. He never denied his identity as a Jew. In fact, he is saying that he refuses that Israel is using the identity of Jews and the Holocaust to commit more crimes against Palestinians. It's a simple "not in my name" statement.

4. Him making that statement in Hollywood's biggest event speaks volumes now that more celebrities of high profile are brave enough to speak on Palestine. Back in the day, you could have your career ended if you dared to speak about Palestine. Now, you can go to protests and still be praised, as you should.

[Not The Real Gaga 7,497]

5 hours ago, Bambino said:

Pro-genocide and pro-Israel on here be like: Joaquin Phoenix, Jewish figures, are Hamas supporters

What a nasty way to frame and twist the point I was making yesterday.

You're truly an evil person.

[Bambino 24,164]

2 minutes ago, Not The Real Gaga said:

What a nasty way to frame and twist the point I was making yesterday.

You're truly an evil person.

Who are you? And no, this is in no way related to you or what you said yesterday, but if you followed the Palestine-Israel thread when the aggression started, you'd understand.

You shouldn't be proud of calling someone you don't know evil over something you misunderstood, especially me and after everything that happened over this. When will you guys learn?

[Not The Real Gaga 7,497]

2 minutes ago, Bambino said:

Who are you? And no, this is in no way related to you or what you said yesterday, but if you followed the Palestine-Israel thread when the aggression started, you'd understand.

You shouldn't be proud of calling someone you don't know evil over something you misunderstood, especially me and after everything that happened over this. When will you guys learn?

 

We literally had a discussion about that term yesterday. You know damn well what you're doing. 

Kinda mean-spirited, don't you think?

[Bambino 24,164]

6 minutes ago, Not The Real Gaga said:

We literally had a discussion about that term yesterday. You know damn well what you're doing. 

Kinda mean-spirited, don't you think?

Yes, but this isn't about you

If anything, it's actually a sarcastic way to reflect on the way pro-Israel people have been reacting to the genocide, justifying it by saying everything is simply a Hamas target.

A hospital? Oh Hamas is hiding there.

A school? Oh Hamas is hiding there.

A house? Oh Hamas is hiding there.

UN chief? Oh he's pro Hamas.

People around the world protesting for Palestine? Oh Hamas supporters.

Now that Jewish figures are actually speaking for Palestine, what do these real poor-spirited people have to say? That Jews are Hamas supporters?

That was my point.

I don't even know you or even remember what you said yesterday if you haven't brought it now.

[misha4ever 2,071]

Finally, some real names are doing real work. I hope it helps to stop the genocide for once and maybe to send the colonizers back to their countries.

[Dennis 8,391]

33 minutes ago, misha4ever said:

Finally, some real names are doing real work. I hope it helps to stop the genocide for once and maybe to send the colonizers back to their countries.

Yeah, for example, let's send the Yemeni Jews back to Yemen, from which they were expelled 70 years ago and which is now controlled by a terrorist organization that literally has "curse the Jews" in its official slogan.

this would definitely not be genocide and ethnic cleansing 

[Aren 965]

43 minutes ago, misha4ever said:

Finally, some real names are doing real work. I hope it helps to stop the genocide for once and maybe to send the colonizers back to their countries.

Where do you think Jewish people come from? If we’re being technical, Jews are the indigenous people of the land and Arabs the colonizers. But of course no one, Jew or Arab, should be ‘sent back to their countries’.