Hundreds of filmmakers back Nadav Lapid after boycott campaign forces festival withdrawal

More than 350 actors, directors and producers have signed an open letter supporting Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid after he withdrew from a French film festival following a campaign against his participation.

The award-winning director was due to serve on the jury at the FID Marseille International Film Festival next month.

However, according to reports in French newspaper Le Monde, several pro-Palestinian filmmakers threatened to withdraw their work from the festival if Lapid took part, leading him to pull out.

Among those backing Lapid are Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman, Anatomy of a Fall director Justine Triet and Emilia Pérez filmmaker Jacques Audiard.

In a letter published by Le Monde, the signatories described the boycott of Lapid as “an intellectual failure” and argued that artists should not be held responsible for the actions of governments they often publicly oppose.

They wrote that “Russian, Israeli, and Iranian filmmakers should not be threatened with being erased as a form of atonement for crimes committed by governments of which they are often the most ardent critics.”

The letter described Lapid as “the greatest Israeli dissident artist, working tirelessly to denounce the fascist and colonialist excesses of his government, its criminal moral failures, in films that have won awards all over the world”.

It added: “Nothing justifies the cancellation of an artist’s voice.”

A second statement, also published by Le Monde and signed by filmmakers and producers who have worked with Lapid, challenged the idea that inviting an Israeli filmmaker to a festival amounts to endorsing the Israeli state.

“Inviting an artist to a festival is not about elevating him to the status of a cultural ambassador, but about recognising a body of work, a career, and a cinematic vision,” the statement said.

Some of those who objected to Lapid’s participation pointed to funding received by his latest film, Yes, from the Israeli Film Fund. Supporters argued that the fund operates independently and has a long record of supporting films critical of Israeli governments.

Speaking to Le Monde, Lapid said he withdrew to avoid creating difficulties for the festival but questioned the direction of the campaign against him.

“For a year, it was my film ‘Yes’ that was being attacked. And then, suddenly, my mere presence became unacceptable. I asked myself: What exactly do they want? That I stop making films? That I leave France? How far will this go?”

Lapid, who has publicly criticised Israeli government policy and the war in Gaza, also warned that cultural institutions were becoming increasingly reluctant to host contentious voices.

“Many festivals are now beginning to avoid certain films or people simply out of fear of controversy,” he said.

Despite the dispute, the director said he did not view those campaigning against him as enemies, describing their actions as stemming from “powerlessness, anger and immense frustration at the political inaction around Gaza.”