On August 1st, the administrative council of the Greek Cinematography Center (GCC) decided to withdraw all the Greek movies they planned to participate in Haifaâs Cinema Festival this October, with the notion that âunder the current circumstances the specific cultural event has lost its meaningâ. The GCC has further expressed its belief that âpeople of spirit and artists can not remain aloof of so sad situations and in a lightsome mood participate in events that, normally, should unite peoples and races in a celebration for all mankindâ.
Three days after this statement, Greek Directors Against War issued the following statement: âthe Greek directors feel repulsion for the barbaric and inhuman attack of the Israeli forces against the Lebanese and the Palestinian peopleâ. The Greek Directors Association adds: âThe moment that thousands of civilians are murdered and thousands more are expelled from their houses, the people of spirit should raise their voice in order to prevent the continuance of the genocide of the Lebanese and Palestinian peoplesâ.
The news of the boycott and condemnation of the Greek film directors feeds into a widespread call for cultural boycott. In fact, the Locarno film festival and the Edinburgh film festival have already refused sponsorship by the Israeli foreign minister and return the money already disbursed.