Over 3900 Hollywood figures sign pledge refusing to work with Israeli film institutions

Signatories Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara and the premier of the Venice prize-winning Gaza drama “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” -- image via X

Various Sources

A growing number of prominent film and TV industry figures, including Joaquin Phoenix and Nicola Coughlan, have signed a pledge refusing to work with Israeli film institutions accused of complicity in war crimes and apartheid against Palestinians.

The pledge has rapidly expanded from an initial 1,200 signatories to more than 3,900 industry names, comprising acclaimed actors, directors, producers, and film workers worldwide. It explicitly refuses cooperation with Israeli film bodies such as the Jerusalem Film Festival, Haifa International Film Festival, Docaviv, and TLVfest, which the pledge states are involved in whitewashing or justifying genocidal and apartheid practices.

Signatories include well-known figures awarded Oscar, BAFTA, Emmy, and Palme d’Or honors — among them Joaquin Phoenix, Nicola Coughlan, Emma Stone, Olivia Colman, Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem, Riz Ahmed, and Joe Alwyn. It reflects a growing movement within the arts aiming to leverage cultural influence to protest Israel's policies and genocide.

The campaign echoes historical precedents like the Filmmakers United Against Apartheid movement of the 1980s, which sought to isolate apartheid South Africa culturally and economically. The current pledge states a moral obligation to oppose "the carnage in Gaza," citing rulings from the International Court of Justice highlighting potential genocide risks and declaring Israeli occupation and apartheid unlawful.

Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara, another signatory, have also been executive producers of the Venice prize-winning Gaza drama “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” demonstrating active engagement with Palestinian stories alongside their public support for the pledge.

The original signatories included filmmakers such as Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, Adam McKay, Boots Riley, Emma Seligman, Joshua Oppenheimer and Mike Leigh, and actors including Ayo Edebiri, Lily Gladstone, Hannah Einbinder, Peter Sarsgaard, Aimee Lou Wood, Paapa Essiedu, Gael Garcia Bernal, Melissa Barrera, Cynthia Nixon, Tilda Swinton and Josh O’Connor.