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The third day of Cannes was noticeably sleepier, but what could compete with Tom Cruise and the cast and crew of “Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning” storming the Croisette?

Broken silence

On the first day of the Cannes Film Festival, a letter was published condemning the silence of the Hollywood film industry over Israel’s military action in Gaza. Now, more A-listers have added their names to the list, including Joaquin Phoenix (whose “Eddington” premieres at the festival Friday), jury president Juliette Binoche, Riz Ahmed, Jim Jarmusch, Michael Moore and Guillermo del Toro, whose long-awaited take on “Frankenstein” opens later this year.

“Since the terrible massacres of 7 October 2023, no foreign journalist has been authorised to enter the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army is targeting civilians. More than 200 journalists have been deliberately killed. Writers, filmmakers and artists are being brutally murdered,” the letter stated.

What spurred the letter, specifically, was...

The Cannes world premiere of Sepideh Farsi’s documentary “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk” turned into a moving tribute to its protagonist Fatma Hassona, who was killed by an Israeli missile just weeks earlier.

An emotional Farsi fought back tears as she introduced the film and afterwards held aloft a photo of Hassona.

Hassona, a 25-year photojournalist who based in Gaza, was killed with her family by an Israeli missile that targeted her building in April, just a day after the film had been selected for Cannes.

In the film, it was revealed that Farsi and Hassona had spoken about the possibility of her leaving Gaza and attending the festival.

On the first day of Cannes, Hassona was named in a letter signed by more than 370 industry figures that condemned her death and also criticized “silence” from the cinema industry over Gaza.

Signed by names such as Mark Ruffalo,...

Joaquin Phoenix, Juliette Binoche, Pedro Pascal, Riz Ahmed and Guillermo del Toro are among a group of figures to have added their names to a letter condemning the film industry for its “silence” over the ongoing and deadly impact of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza.

The letter, published on the first day of Cannes and initially signed by more than 370 actors and filmmakers, also condemned Israel’s killing of Fatma Hassona, the protagonist of festival-bound doc “Put Your Soul in Your Hand and Walk.”

The new signatories also includes the likes of Rooney Mara, Jim Jarmusch, Omar Sy, Peter Straughan, Camille Cottin, Michael Moore, Boots Riley and Alice Rohrwacher.

The letter urged cinema — which it said was a “breeding ground for socially committed works” — to use its art form to “draw lessons from history, to make films that are committed” and to be “present to protect oppressed voices.”

The...

A group of more than 350 international actors, directors and producers have signed a letter published on the first day of Cannes condemning the killing of Fatma Hassona, the Palestinian photojournalist and protagonist of the festival-bound documentary “Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk,” in an Israeli airstrike.

The letter, signed by names such as Mark Ruffalo, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, Melissa Barrera, Yorgos Lanthimos, Javier Bardem, Hannah Einbinder, Pedro Almodóvar, David Cronenberg, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Leigh, Alex Gibney, Viggo Mortensen, Cynthia Nixon, Tessa Ross and many more, also called out the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences’ for its “lack of support” for “No Other Land” co-director Hamdan Ballal.

Just three weeks after winning the Oscar for the documentary, Ballal was assaulted by settlers and kidnapped by the Israeli army. After being criticized for its silence over the incident, AMPAS eventually publicly apologized. “We are ashamed of such passivity,...

More than 350 film world figures, including Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Javier Bardem, have published an open letter on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival condemning “silence” over the deadly impact of Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Gaza.

The letter, published on the website of France’s Libération newspaper on Monday evening, was headed “In Cannes, the horror Gaza must not be silenced”. It was addressed “For Fatem”, in memory of 25-year-old Gaza artist and photojournalist Fatima Hassouna.

The young woman was killed in an Israeli airstrike in mid-April just 24 hours after it was announced a documentary exploring her life in the Gaza Strip would world premiere in the Cannes. Ten of her relatives, including her pregnant sister, were killed in same strike.

“She was a Palestinian freelance photojournalist. She was targeted by the Israeli army on 16 April, 2025, the day after it was announced that Sepideh Farsi’s...

Mark your watchlists, a new Gal Gadot movie is in the works. We’re still reeling from all the controversy surrounding that subpar Snow White remake. Regardless, the actor who became a household name with Wonder Woman has no time for such trivialities in life. She has been busy lately. And from the looks of things, it’s for all the right reasons.

Soon, everyone will forget about Snow White’s politically charged backlash that (quite distastefully) managed to drag even the Israel-Palestine conflict into its midst. That’s just how Hollywood’s ruthless engine has functioned for a long time. Nevertheless, Gadot’s new movie is bound to give many talking heads something new to talk about. After all, she’s stepping into the shoes of a “newly released camp prisoner” in post-wwii Germany.

Ruin Casts Gal Gadot in a raw, vengeful transformation

The Hollywood Reporter updated the masses...

Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian co-director of No Other Land, has detailed the violent assault he endured in the West Bank last month, describing the experience as a brutal reminder of the persistent dangers facing his community. In an op-ed published in The New York Times, Ballal reflected on the attack, carried out by Israeli settlers, during which he was mocked for his recent Oscar victory.

On March 24, during Ramadan, Ballal rushed to document an attack after being alerted by a neighbor in his native village of Susiya. When the situation escalated, he returned home to protect his family. Moments later, he was confronted outside his home by settlers and soldiers he recognized. Ballal recounted being beaten, cursed, and derided as an “Oscar-winning filmmaker” while his wife and children screamed from inside their home. “I felt guns bashing my ribs. Someone punched me in the head from behind. I fell to the ground.

Hamdan Ballal, the Oscar-winning co-director of No Other Land, recounted his brutal attack and capture by Israeli settlers, saying he was mocked for his accolade amid his kidnapping. Calling the incident the “worst moment of my life,” the filmmaker urged continued international attention on Palestine and the “near-daily violence” its residents experience.

In a heartfelt New York Times op-ed titled “My Oscar for ‘No Other Land’ Didn’t Protect Me From Violence,” Ballal described the disillusionment he felt accepting an award on “one of the world’s most important stages” and afterward returning home to his Masafer Yatta region to see that he and his community were “still trapped in the same grinding loop of violence and subjugation.”

“In an instant, it was as if the Oscars had never happened, as if the award didn’t mean anything,” he recalled of the attack.

Ballal wrote that the attack occurred on...

Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the celebrated documentary No Other Land, has published a new essay about being beaten and degraded by Israeli settlers, then blindfolded and detained at an army base, just weeks after winning an Academy Award.

Ballal offered a detailed account of the harrowing experience, which he called “the worst moment of my life,” in a New York Times op-ed. “I could hear my wife and kids screaming and crying, calling for me and telling the men to go away,” he wrote of the attack, adding: “My wife...

Palestinian co-director of No Other Land Hamdan Ballal has penned a candid op-ed in The New York Times detailing the extent of his West Bank assault last month: “Our movie won an Oscar, but our lives are no better than before.”

Ballal, a co-director of the Academy Award-winning documentary, as well as two other men, Khaled Mohammad Shanran and Nasser Shreteh, were attacked and arrested late March. Another co-director of the film, Israeli creative Yuval Abraham, said Ballal “had injuries to his head and stomach, bleeding” after being assaulted by a group of settlers in his home village of Susiya.

After the Academy “refused” to publish a statement in support of Ballal after his Oscar win, according to Abraham, the organization was swift to apologize. “We abhor the suppression of free speech under any circumstances,” it later said in a statement.

Now, Ballal is talking about the experience in his own words.

During the first weekend of Coachella 2025, Irish rap trio Kneecap led “Free Palestine” and anti-Margaret Thatcher chants that were cut from the official livestream. On Friday, April 18th, the group returned for weekend two and doubled down by displaying, “Fuck Israel, free Palestine” on the screens behind them.

Following criticism from Jewish groups directed at festival organizer Goldenvoice for the band’s actions, The Hollywood Reporter has published a report claiming CEO Paul Tollett was “blindsided” by the incident.

Get Kneecap Tickets Here

It’s worth noting that sets at the Sonora tent were not livestreamed via Coachella’s official channels during weekend two, but Kneecap brought out streamer Hasan Piker to broadcast their protest on Twitch. “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” another message read on their stage screens. “It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes.

Kneecap returned to the Coachella stage this weekend after claiming that the pro-Palestine message they shared onstage during weekend one of the festival was cut from the official livestream. At the time, the band assured “it’ll be sorted” in time for their next set. During their Friday performance, the Irish rap group challenged censorship by conveying their message through visual graphics, though Coachella did not broadcast any performances from the Sonora tent during weekend two.

At the close of their early evening set, Kneecap broadcast three screens of text,...

Despite being protected by international law, at least 175 journalists and media workers have been killed by Israel's Occupying Forces since Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas forces killed 1,200 people in an attack on Israel. This is in addition to Israel killing "more than 400 aid workers and over 1,300 health workers" in Gaza, recently underscored by the discovery of a mass grave containing 15 paramedics and rescue workers who had been murdered execution style. 25-year-old photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, subject of the new documentary filmPut Your Soul On Your Hand and Walk, is the latest victim; she and nine members of her family were killed just 24 hours after learning that her film would be screening as part of the Acid section at the Cannes Film Festival.

Hassouna and her family were bombed by the Israeli military, adding to the tens of thousands of civilians who have been murdered since Oct. 7. The exact number is impossible to ascertain at the moment,...

Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land” has been made newly available for digital rent in North America in an effort to fundraise for Masafer Yatta communities.

The three-week fundraiser, which starts Friday and lasts through May 9, allows individuals and organizations to rent the film and hold their own screenings. Proceeds will go to the Masafer Yatta communities that are depicted in the film.

“We decided to independently make our film accessible online in the U.S. because, despite winning the Oscar, our community is still being destroyed and we urgently need help. All the money we get from this fundraiser will go directly to the community, physical and psychological support to help families recover after settler attacks, a local sheep fodder factory to create employment, and English classes so the younger generation has more tools to tell our stories,” Basel Adra, one of the filmmakers, who worked alongside Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor,...

The most essential, vital documentary of the last year, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor’s No Other Land, is now finally available to watch at home for a limited time. The Indie Film Site Network Advocate Award winner and Academy Award Best Documentary winner from the Palestinian-Israeli collective takes an intimate, harrowing look at the day-to-day destruction and violence inflicted on Palestinian lives in the West Bank. While its successful North American theatrical run continues as the film nears $2.4 million at the box office, it’s now available digitally in an exclusive, fundraising window in North America.

No Other Land is now available for digital rentals, and individual supporters and organizations can host screenings in their own communities via Theatrical On Demand®, Virtual Event Cinema, home gatherings, or anywhere they secure an event venue across North America. The film is available for an exclusive, three-week period...

Filmmakers Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor are making their Oscar-winning documentary, “No Other Land,” available to audiences in an exclusive, fundraising window in North America.

“No Other Land” is now available for digital rentals, and individual supporters and organizations can host screenings in their own communities via Theatrical On Demand, Virtual Event Cinema, home gatherings, or anywhere they secure an event venue across North America.

Audiences can rent the film and secure screenings at www.nootherland.com. The film is available for an exclusive, three-week period beginning today and ending May 9th, 2025.

All filmmaker proceeds from digital rentals and ticket sales (and any additional donations) will support the Masafer Yatta communities featured in the documentary, including support to families attacked by settlers and the funding of English and documentary classes to grow the next generation of local storytellers. Learn more at supportmasaferyatta.com

“My father was...

Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna and nine of her family members were killed in an Israeli air strike on Wednesday, just one day after a documentary in which she serves as the protagonist was accepted into Acid, a parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival.

Hassouna stars in Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, a new film by French-Iranian director Sepideh Farsi that chronicles the impact of Israel’s invasion of the Gaza Strip.

Speaking to Deadline, Farsi confirmed that Hassouna, her sisters (one of whom was pregnant), her brothers, and other family members were killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza City on Wednesday.

“The Israeli army said it bombed the house because there was a Hamas officer in there, which is totally false,” Farsi said. “I know the whole family. It’s nonsense. It’s just so devastating.”

Last month, Hamdan Ballal, Palestinian co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land,...

This week, we are pleased to introduce Rushes Extra, a new series of reported pieces that go beyond the headlines to take a closer look at developing stories from throughout the film world. In this first installment, Vikram Murthi reports from the picket lines of the New York cinema workers strike at Alamo Drafthouse.Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.NEWSFerris Bueller’s Day Off.Chinese authorities are reportedly considering “reducing or banning the import of US films” in response to President Trump’s global tariffs. Though US studio earnings in China have decreased as the country has invested in their own film industry, losing access to the world’s second-largest film market would be a major blow to the American film industry.The...

Elizabeth Olsen seems like a force to be reckoned with. Outside of her role as the Scarlet Witch, she has made a reputation for herself as a decorated and talented actress who has spent years refining her craft. While her professional life has been extremely successful, it has also been divided like most Marvel stars.

Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff in WandaVision | Credits: Marvel Studios

Having to balance two completely different scales of projects, fame, and genres can be quite difficult. Recently, Olsen talked about how her role as Wanda Maximoff has influenced her own perception of her career, as well as the insecurities that came with it.

Elizabeth Olsen still feels the need to prove herself

The complexities that come with being an actor can be quite challenging. Over the years, there has been a consistent theme of actors trying to balance their fame with their passions, attempting to...

The ratcheting up of the Israel-Gaza conflict and recent attacks on pro-Palestinians activists loomed large at the opening of the Doha Film Institute’s annual talent and project meeting on Friday.

Some 300 attendees gathered for the welcoming meet and greet at Doha’s Museum of Islamic Art, followed by a masterclass by Brazilian director Walter Salles, fresh from his Best International Feature Film win for I’m Still Here.

In a strongly worded opening speech, Dfi CEO Fatma Al Remaihi voiced her concerns over “attempts to erase voices in the region” and raised the case of the recent attack on Oscar-winning Palestinian No Other Land director Hamdam Ballal.

Referring to the fact the Dfi is marking its 15th anniversary, Al Remaihi said the institute’s founding mission to nurture untold stories from the region was more relevant than ever.

“Today, as we celebrate this milestone, we find ourselves at a complex...

Fatma Al Remaihi, CEO of the Doha Film Institute (Dfi), spoke out against the attack by Israeli settlers on and arrest by Israeli police of Hamdan Ballal, co-director of Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land.

“The recent attack on Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal proves that even winning the most prestigious award, an Oscar, does not offer any safety from violent oppression by the occupation,” said Al Remaihi, speaking at the opening of the 2025 edition of the Dfi’s Qumra lab. Ballal was released the day after his arrest.

Remarking that this year marks the 15th anniversaryof Dfi, Al Remaihi said, “We...

Exclusive: Hamdan Ballal and his fellow No Other Land filmmakers are thanking top members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for signing a letter that pushed AMPAS leadership to take a firmer stance condemning an attack on Ballal by Israeli settlers.

Palestinian filmmakers Ballal and Basel Adra and Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor wrote a note which has been distributed today to all the signatories of Friday’s letter. “Dear friends,” the note says, “We wanted to briefly share with you that Hamdan’s physical condition has improved over the past few days and he is at home with his children. The letter you wrote in support of him has been deeply moving for us personally, and also important politically, especially as the attacks on the Masafer Yatta community continue every day. At a time when we felt ignored by the Academy it meant a...

On “Tantrum,” one of the most visceral moments from Will Smith’s new album, Based on a True Story, the 56-year-old growls, “Oh, y’all forgot I ain’t new with the pen/First hip-hop Grammy, I’ll do it again.” With an album as trite as this one, that’s hard to imagine, but that sort of flex is true to the spirit of the genre he’s helped mold and the type of shit-talking he’s absolutely earned the right to.

For long after the Oscars in 2022, where...

New York Film Critics Circle (NYFCC) will celebrate the upcoming awards season at its annual ceremony on January 6, 2026.

David Ehrlich will serve as 2025 chair of the NYFCC and Stephen Garrett will continue as the group’s general manager.

The 2025 ceremony marked the group’s 90th anniversary and honoured The Brutalist for best film, while RaMell Ross was named best director for Nickel Boys, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste forHard Truths and Adrien Brody forThe Brutalist earnedlead acting honours.

Ehrlich said he expected “a rich and rewarding year for the movies”, adding: “I suspect that NYFCC will kick off its 10th decade by...

The global filmmaking community voiced its outrage some days ago after Hamdan Ballal, the Oscar-winning Palestinian co-director of the documentary film No Other Land, was detained by Israeli authorities amid the ongoing occupation of Gaza. Ballal was subsequently released, alleging mistreatment at the hands of the Israelis. Coincidentally, No Other Land managed to pass a domestic box office milestone in the immediate aftermath of the incident, having survived over two months theatrically without proper distribution. The film's inability to find studio backing has been described as soft censorship, especially in the context of its global success.

This weekend, No Other Landpassed the $2 million mark at the domestic box office, after getting a one-week Oscars qualifying run last year. Having opened theatrically in January, the movie made around $135,000 this weekend; at the same time, another film about the Israel-Palestine conflict, The Encampments, delivered a record per-theater average thanks to sold-out screenings...

The Encampments has turned out looks like the highest per-screen average opening for a documentary with an anticipated $80k+ and sold-out screenings at an exclusive run at the Angelika Film Center in New York.

It’s a major step for indie distributor Watermelon Pictures, a new label, which had moved up the doc’s release given the timeliness of its subject matter. It follows students at Columbia University who in 2024 launched a movement protesting the war in Gaza. The film features detained activist Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student active in the demonstrations who also served as a spokesperson for the group with the University. He was arrested by Ice agents on March 8 and has been held in a detention center in Louisiana, where he faces deportation amid a legal fight over where his case should be heard.

“This film matters, and people are ready for it. It confirms our decision...

One of the directors of No Other Land is calling out the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science letter, and he isn't alone as he has support from major A-list stars. On Mar. 24, Hamdan Ballal, the co-director of the Oscar-winning Best Documentary Feature film No Other Land, was assaulted by Isreali settlers and detained near his home by the Israeli armed service. After 24 hours, when he was blindfolded and held at an Israeli army base and fearing for his life, Ballal was released.

No Other Land's Yuval Abraham, one of the film's four co-directors alongside Ballal, criticized the Academy's failure to support Hamdan following his arrest. It wasn't until after the director publicly criticized the Academy leadership that they sent out an open letter to Academy voters. Via Deadline, the Academy's letter said they were against “harming or suppressing artists for their work or their viewpoints” but also...

Letter signed by 700 members offers support to Hamdan Ballal after initial statement had failed to name director

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has apologised after criticism for its failure to support the detained Palestinian Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal.

Almost 700 voting members, including multiple A-list actors, signed a letter apologising for not directly acknowledging Ballal and the film by name.

The Academy Awards, which recently appreciated Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal during the 2025 event, came under fire after CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang refused to address his recent assault and abduction by Israeli authorities. That’s when Mark Ruffalo joined Joaquin Phoenix, Elizabeth Olsen, and 500 other actors to condemn the Academy’s move.

After Hamdan Ballal was detained by the Israeli army on suspicion of throwing stones and causing property damage, the Academy Award committee issued an open letter condemning the harm or suppression of artists, without mentioning Ballal’s name. This controversial move raised eyebrows and led actors to rally behind Ballal while slamming the Academy.

A still from No Other Land (2024) | image: Cph:Dox, Hi Gloss Entertainment Academy’s controversial move after Hamdan Ballal’s detention by the Israeli army

Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, who recently won an Oscar for his co-directorial work on the documentary No Other Land,...

The Academy has apologised for its initial response to the reported attack on ‘No Other Land’ co-director Hamdan Ballal, which drew the ire of the filmmakers and Academy members.

Following a hastily-convened emergency session of the governors on Friday morning, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang issued a statement.

“On Wednesday, we sent a letter in response to reports of violence against Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal, co-director of No Other Land, connected to his artistic expression. We regret that we failed to directly acknowledge Mr. Ballal and the film by name,” they said.

“We sincerely apologize to Mr.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has sent a statement to members, apologizing for not publicly supporting No Other Land co-director Hamdan Ballal after his recent assault and arrest in the West Bank, in the village of Susiya, his hometown.

On Monday, Yuval Abraham — an Israeli director and one of the four directors behind No Other Land, which won the Oscar for best documentary feature film — claimed on X (formerly Twitter) that a group of settlers had beaten the Palestinian filmmaker, who members of the Israeli military later detained. Abraham said Ballal was released the following day but had “injuries in his head and stomach.”

Following the attack, Academy leaders Bill Kramer and Janet Yang released a statement on Wednesday suggesting that the beating and arrest of Ballal is something Academy members will have “many unique viewpoints” on, refusing to name the filmmaker. Kramer and Yang were quickly...

The top brass at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued an apology today for not mentioning Oscar-winning No Other Land co-director Hamdan Ballan or the film by name in its initial response to his West Bank attack and detention on Monday.

The note from AMPAS CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang to members comes hours after the Academy’s Board of Governors held an urgent special meeting — as Deadline reported exclusively — to discuss the fallout over its midweek response to the attack on No Other Land co-director Hamdan Ballal.

“On Wednesday, we sent a letter in response to reports of violence against Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal, co-director of No Other Land, connected to his artistic expression,” Kramer and Yang wrote to members today. “We regret that we failed to directly acknowledge Mr. Ballal and the film by name.”

They added: “We sincerely apologize to Mr. Ballal...

Elizabeth Olsen, Richard Gere, and Penélope Cruz are among the A-list actors who’ve signed an open letter criticizing Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences leadership for their response to the alleged assault and arrest of Hamdan Ballal, the Palestinian filmmaker who won an Oscar for co-directing No Other Land, just weeks prior.

“We stand in condemnation of the brutal assault and unlawful detention of Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal by settlers and Israeli forces in the West Bank,” read the letter. “As artists, we depend on our ability to tell stories without reprisals.

Update 6:55pm Et: The Academy has released a new letter to its members on March 28 co-signed by CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang apologizing for omitting “No Other Land” co-director Hamdan Ballal’s name from their initial statement that obliquely referenced his attack by settlers in the West Bank earlier this week. IndieWire has acquired the letter.

“On Wednesday, we sent a letter in response to reports of violence against Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal, co-director of ‘No Other Land,’ connected to his artistic expression. We regret that we failed to directly acknowledge Mr. Ballal and the film by name,” the letter read. “We sincerely apologize to Mr. Ballal and all artists who felt unsupported by our previous statement and want to make it clear that the Academy condemns violence of this kind anywhere in the world. We abhor the suppression of free speech under any circumstances.”

Original Story:...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences apologized Friday for withholding explicit support for the Oscar-winning co-director of documentary “No Other Land” Hamdan Ballal after he was beaten and detained in the West Bank last week.

The film organization had sent an email to its members on Wednesday condemning violence. That email did not name the documentary’s title or the name of its co-director, and it drew widespread condemnation from members, around 700 of whom at the time of publishing signed an open letter on Friday morning that read, in part, “It is indefensible for an organization to recognize a film with an award in the first week of March, and then fail to defend its filmmakers just a few weeks later.”

On Friday afternoon, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang sent an email to their nearly 11,000 members that read, “On Wednesday, we sent a letter in...

As the reigning Oscar winner for Best Documentary Feature, No Other Land and its quartet of filmmakers — Yuval Abraham, Hamdan Ballal,Basel Adra, and Rachel Szor — should be taking a victory lap. Despite a significant theatrical boost (it's now the top-grossing documentary since Free Solo in 2018), the film and its directors have been unable to fully enjoy the fruits of their Academy Award victory. Here's a brief look at everything that has gone wrong.

'There is much less space for this kind of criticism'

No Other Land chronicles a developing alliance between Adra, a Palestinian activist, and Abraham, an Israeli journalist. They collaborate to show the destruction of the occupied West Bank's Masafer Yatta by Israeli soldiers. The film became an immediate sensation on the international scene, winning the Best Documentary prize at last year's Berlin Film Festival. It went on to score top honors from the International Documentary Association,...

Updated: Hamdan Ballal and his fellow “No Other Land” filmmakers are expressing gratitude to top members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for signing a letter urging Academy leadership to take a stronger stance in condemning an attack on Ballal by Israeli settlers.

The Academy released a statement Wednesday condemning “harming artists” but did not name the individuals involved. By Thursday morning, a letter began circulating among AMPAS members criticizing the Academy’s leadership for failing to publicly support Ballal.

As of Monday afternoon, nearly 900 Academy members — including actor Mark Ruffalo, director Ava DuVernay and Oscar-winning filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón — had signed the letter denouncing the Academy’s silence following Ballal’s reported detainment by Israeli authorities. Most recent signatories include J.J. Abrams, Guillermo del Toro, Ben Affleck, Jane Fonda and more.

Ballal and his fellow “No Other Land” directors shared the following letter with all the signatories:

Dear friends,...

Meeting follows letter signed by prominent members urging more forceful response on Hamdan Ballal’s arrest

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has convened an extraordinary meeting to address a crisis over its tepid response to the arrest and detention of the Oscar-winning director Hamdan Ballal, of the documentary No Other Land, by Israeli authorities.

The meeting on Friday morning Pacific time, first reported by Deadline, follows a strongly worded letter signed by many prominent members – including the actors Olivia Colman, Javier Bardem, Joaquin Phoenix, Penélope Cruz and Emma Thompson, directors Ava DuVernay, Alfonso Cuarón, Adam McKay and Jonathan Glazer and writer Tony Kushner – calling for a more forceful response from the Academy’s board of governors than an initial statement that did not refer to Ballal or No Other Land by name and cited the Academy membership’s “many unique viewpoints”.

British leading lights Olivia Colman, Jonathan Glazer, Riz Ahmed, and Jessie Buckley are among hundreds of Academy members who have signed a letter circulating on Friday in which they lambast the Oscar body’s response to the reported attack on and detention of No Other Land co-director Hamdan Ballal.

The missive has been sent to Academy members and decries the Academy’s “indefensible” position, after CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang sent a letter to members on Thursday in which they condemned harm or suppression of artists based on their viewpoints, but did not mention Hallal by name, and...

British leading lights Olvia Colman, Jonathan Glazer, Riz Ahmed, and Jessie Buckley are among hundreds of Academy members who have signed a letter circulating on Friday in which they lambast the Oscar body’s response to the reported attack on and detention of No Other Land co-director Hamdan Ballal.

The missive has been sent to Academy members and decries the Academy’s “indefensible” position, after CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang sent a letter to members on Thursday in which they condemned harm or suppression of artists based on their viewpoints, but did not mention Hallal by name, and...

A new open letter signed by around 600 Oscar voters, including Ava DuVernay, Olivia Colman and Javier Bardem, has criticized the leadership of the The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its initial response to the recent assault and arrest of Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal.

“It is indefensible for an organization to recognize a film with an award in the first week of March, and then fail to defend its filmmakers just a few weeks later,” the open letter updated Friday and signed by AMPAS members across a range of genres, including documentaries, stated.

The AMPAS voters were reacting to a statement put out Wednesday by Academy leaders Bill Kramer and Janet Yang that suggested the beating and arrest of recent Oscar-winner Hamdan Ballal is something Academy members will have “many unique viewpoints” on.

Other well-known Academy members who signed the letter include Mark Ruffalo, Oscar-winning Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer,...

Updated, 12:50 Pm: More than 900 Academy members have now signed the letter, including actors Carey Mulligan, Glenn Close, Andrew Garfield, America Ferrera, Edward Norton, Jane Fonda, Pedro Pascal, Kristin Scott Thomas, Frances Fisher and Elizabeth Olsen; actor-directors Taika Waititi, Ben Affleck and Todd Field; filmmakers Denis Villeneuve, Michael Moore, Stephen Frears, Abigail Disney, Asif Kapadia, Jay Roach, J.J. Abrams and Michael Mann; composer Carter Burwell; Board of Governors VP/Secretary Howard Rodman (writers branch); and all three documentary branch Governors — Simon Kilmurry, Chris Hegedus, and Jean Tsien.

Exclusive: Deadline has learned the Academy’s board of governors is meeting in extraordinary session this morning to confront a deepening crisis over its response to the beating and detention of Oscar-winning Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, one of the directors of No Other Land.

As that meeting nears an 11 am Pacific Time start, Deadline can report a new statement has been signed by...

While co-host Ryan Lattanzio is off at the Cph:dox festival in Copenhagen, “Screen Talk” co-host Anne Thompson is joined by Marcus Jones, Awards Editor at IndieWire, to provide an overview of the Primetime Emmys race, and which series seem set up for success come September.

Hear their take on the Drama, Comedy, Limited, and Anthology Series categories, from whether HBO will tie its record of most shows nominated in one category, if any other comedy besides “Hacks” is able to eclipse the record-setting winner “The Bear,” and what upcoming Limited Series to look out for, on the slight chance there is any room to surpass major breakouts “Adolescence” and “The Penguin.”

But first, the pair follow up on some past talking points, including recent Best Documentary Feature Oscar winner “No Other Land.” Unfortunately, one of its directors, Hamdan Ballal, reportedly was attacked by a group of the same Israeli settlers...

Believe it or not, this review was scheduled shortly before the buzz hit. Sadly, yesterday, Hamdan Ballal was assaulted during a settlers’ raid and arrested by the Israeli army, only weeks after “No Other Land” won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. But let’s assume you do not know anything about the film and start with the beginning.

In the south of the West Bank lies a handful of small Bedouin villages known as Masafer Yatta. The area has been designated a military zone by the Israeli authorities, and its residents are therefore being forced out. “No Other Land” documents the resistance of these inhabitants against this decision. Four people – two Israelis and two Palestinians, journalists and activists that met in action – unite to fight this situation with their cameras. Among them, Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian photographer already involved in fighting the occupation and Rachel Szor, an Israeli...

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‘No Other Land’

American Film Academy criticism: On Monday, Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham wrote in an X post that his Palestinian No Other Land co-director, Hamdan Ballal, had been attacked by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and was later detained by Israeli soldiers. The story has since moved fast. Abraham posted the next day that Ballal had been freed but was badly beaten while in custody. The 24-hour incident then sparked outcry in the film community, with strong statements from institutions including the European Film Academy. Filmmakers and actors such as Christine Vachon, Ezra Edelman, and Mark Ruffalo lent their names to public calls for Ballal’s release. The incident occurred less than a month after No Other Land won the Best Documentary Oscar, a grim fact that Abraham highlighted as...

Maiken Baird’s Untitled Edward Said Documentary, about the Palestinian-American writer and activist, was among the winners at the Industry platform of Cph:dox.

Baird’s film took the inaugural €10,000 Al Jazeera Documentary Channel Co-Production award, for a project in the Forum that highlights urgent matters of our times.

Scroll down for the full list of Cph:Industry winners

Said, who died in 2003, was a cultural critic who wrote books including 1978’s Orientalism, which critiqued how the Western world perceives the Orient. The film will be told using his voice and archival footage; and is produced by acclaimed US documentarian Alex Gibney,...

Yuval Abraham criticised the Academy’s statement defending its silence after Israeli settlers attacked his co-director Hamdan Ballal

The Israeli director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land has condemned the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for its response to a violent attack on his Palestinian co-director Hamdan Ballal, who was beaten by Israeli settlers and detained by Israeli forces in the West Bank on Monday.

Earlier this week, Israeli journalist and filmmaker Yuval Abraham criticised the Academy for failing to publicly speak out in support of Ballal. Now he has criticised a statement issued by the Academy to its members on Wednesday, in which it appeared to defend its silence.

A number of documentary branch members have reacted angrily to a statement put out Wednesday by AMPAS leaders Bill Kramer and Janet Yang, which suggests that the beating and arrest of recent Oscar-winner Hamdan Ballal is something Academy members will have “many unique viewpoints” on.

Ballal, who won an Oscar earlier this month for co-directing best documentary feature winner No Other Land, was attacked and arrested by the Israeli military on Monday night during a confrontation with settlers that took place on the West Bank, in the village of Susiya, Ballal’s hometown. The Palestinian filmmaker sustained injuries to his head and stomach, and was zip-tied and blindfolded, according to co-director Yuval Abraham, before being released the next day.

In an email sent today to Kramer and Yang, Aj Schnack — a documentarian, branch member and founding director of the Cinema Eye Honors awards ceremony — wrote: “It’s hard for me...

Congratulations Colorado. You are now hosting two of the world’s premier Film Festivals. This morning, in a historic decision, the Sundance Institute picked Boulder, Colorado, to host the Sundance Film Festival beginning in 2027. This decision means the festival will leave its current home, Park City, Utah, after four decades.

Read More: Oscar-Winning “No Other Land” Co-Director says Academy “Refused” to publicly support Hamdan Ballal after settler attack

Sundance joins the Telluride Film Festival, a summer staple for 50 years, in the Centennial State.

Continue reading Sundance Film Festival Goes Blue To Boulder For 2027 And Beyond at The Playlist.

Oscar-winning No Other Land filmmaker Yuval Abraham is continuing to exert pressure on the Oscar Academy for the way it has responded to a violent settler attack on Palestinian co-director Hamdan Ballal and his Israeli military detention earlier this week.

Israeli director Abraham, who had previously criticised the organisation’s failure to publicly support Hamdan in the wake of his arrest, has hit out at a letter co-signed by Bill Kramer and Janet Yang sent to Academy members on Wednesday, seemingly in response to what happened to Ballal.

They condemned “harming or suppressing artists for their work or their viewpoints”, but also noted that the Academy represented “close to 11,000 global members with many unique viewpoints.”

Abraham slammed the letter.

“After our criticism, the academy’s leaders sent out this email to members explaining their silence on Hamdan’s assault: they need to respect ‘unique viewpoints’,” wrote Abraham in an X post.