The Crossbill News Desk
A group of citizens, including actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak Shah, along with acclaimed filmmaker Anant Patwardhan and others, has formally requested the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) to cancel the Israel Film Festival scheduled for August 21-22, 2024, in Mumbai. They have made the appeal in response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza and alleged Israeli atrocities.
The Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai, in partnership with the NFDC, has organized the Israel Film Festival to be held at the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) on Pedder Road. The festival will kick off with a screening of Israel's official Oscars entry, Seven Blessings, on its opening day.
In a joint statement, the group said, “This screening by the NFDC [National Film Development Corporation] is shamefully being held at a time, when the entire world is witness to Israeli war crimes, the ongoing Holocaust and the genocide in Gaza, and across all of Palestine,” Scroll.in reported.
The group stated that the management of the NFDC and the NMIC should be mindful that the Indian government has officially recognized the Palestinian state.
“Thus, at this moment in our collective human history, for the NFDC and the NMIC to be screening Israeli films is totally immoral, unethical, unconscionable, and a travesty of justice to say the least,” the statement said.
“In both instances the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court have recognised the fact that Israel is guilty of genocide,” the statement read.
“Thus the ICC has announced that it will issue an arrest warrant against Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, who must stand trial for war crimes.”
“In the presence of such damning evidence, the NFDC must immediately cancel the so-called Israel Film Festival,” the statement urged.
The Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai, in partnership with the NFDC, has organized the Israel Film Festival to be held at the National Museum of Indian Cinema (NMIC) on Pedder Road. The festival will kick off with a screening of Israel's official Oscars entry, Seven Blessings, on its opening day.
In a joint statement, the group said, “This screening by the NFDC [National Film Development Corporation] is shamefully being held at a time, when the entire world is witness to Israeli war crimes, the ongoing Holocaust and the genocide in Gaza, and across all of Palestine,” Scroll.in reported.
The group stated that the management of the NFDC and the NMIC should be mindful that the Indian government has officially recognized the Palestinian state.
“Thus, at this moment in our collective human history, for the NFDC and the NMIC to be screening Israeli films is totally immoral, unethical, unconscionable, and a travesty of justice to say the least,” the statement said.
“In both instances the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court have recognised the fact that Israel is guilty of genocide,” the statement read.
“Thus the ICC has announced that it will issue an arrest warrant against Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, who must stand trial for war crimes.”
“In the presence of such damning evidence, the NFDC must immediately cancel the so-called Israel Film Festival,” the statement urged.
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