More than 2,000 Israeli film and TV industry figures have penned an open letter to the international entertainment community urging their support in a push to release hostages taken by Hamas during the terror attacks on October 7.
Filmmakers Hagai Levi, Ayelet Menahemi, Ari Folman, Joseph Cedar, Michal Vinik, Jasmine Kainy, Eliran Peled and Nadav Lapid joined Euphoria creator Ron Leshem, Israel Film Fund CEO Noa Regev and a slew of other executives and talent for the letter addressed to “our dearest friends in the international film and television community”.
Scroll to bottom to read the full open letter.
The letter invites the global industry to “rally with us in the name of humanity, to make the highest efforts to bring about the release of over 200 Israeli civilians, held as hostages by the Hamas in the Gaza Strip”.
The group highlights a recent initiative gathering together testimonial videos of the families of hostages titled #BringThemHomeNow through which the letter says “we have tried to give a name, a voice and an identity to those currently in captivity”.
They added: “We have come together in an attempt to give a voice to their plight and to the anguish of their families – by doing what we know – and that is to tell their stories.”
The letter calls upon industry leaders outside of Israel to “help to bring these stories out to the world and pressure governments, politicians and leaders from all sides – to safely bring these hostages home”.
The move comes following an open letter sent earlier this week by a list of Hollywood stars and executives including Gal Gadot, Bradley Cooper, Zack Snyder and Shawn Levy addressed to US President Biden as part of a #NoHostageLeftBehind campaign, praising him for his leadership amidst the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and pushing for the release of the hostages.
To our dearest friends in the international film and television community,
We are reaching out to you, asking for your help at this terrible time, to rally with us in the name of humanity, to make the highest efforts to bring about the release of over 200 Israeli civilians, held as hostages by the Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Among those who have been abducted are babies, children and orphans.
Grandparents, holocaust survivors, people who are sick and in urgent need of medical care and medication.
It is a living nightmare for them, their families and our community.
We have come together in an attempt to give a voice to their plight and to the anguish of their families – by doing what we know – and that is to tell their stories.
Led by filmmakers Ari Folman, Hagai Levi, Jasmine Kainy, Eliran Peled, Joseph Cedar, and a dedicated crew, we have tried to give a name, a voice and an identity to those currently in captivity.
We urgently need your help to bring these stories out to the world and pressure governments, politicians and leaders from all sides – to safely bring these hostages home.
We have collated these films on a dedicated website – please watch, share and use your voice to show there is humanity left in all of us.
Time is of the essence; international pressure is crucial and your support is critical.
Thank you, your friends from the Israeli film and TV community
No comments yet