Israeli Filmmakers Cut from French Film Festival

A group of Israeli filmmakers were dropped from the schedule of the Documentary Film Festival in the French town of Lussas last week with their films replaced by movies by Palestinian and Lebanese filmmakers.

The directors received a letter from the directors of the festival explaining that they were dropped because of the latest Middle East crisis.

In what appears to be the latest in a long list of cultural boycotts against Israeli artists, the letter informed the Israelis that their films would be replaced.

Lack of detachment

According to Ynet News, the letter, signed by the festival’s director, artistic director, and program director, claimed that “it is difficult to look at films from the countries involved in the current war with the same degree of detachment.”

As a result, the letter said, they have decided “to change the program, and not to screen all the Israeli films that were originally scheduled.”

They plan to organize a discussion of the political aspect of the conflict, and “to create a program of Lebanese and Palestinian films that will show our opposition to the war.”

The letter did not discuss why if countries "involved in the conflict" are not allowed in the program, the Israelis were being replaced with Lebanese and Palestinian made films.