Israel Film Festival Mumbai: There is a terrible atmosphere of devastation in Gaza due to the Israel Hamas war going on since October last year. The great war between Israel and Hamas has killed 40 thousand people in Gaza city alone. Efforts to stop the ceasefire here have failed for a long time. Both Hamas and Israel are blaming each other for this. People are very sad about this massacre in Gaza. Meanwhile, Israel Film Festival was going to be organized in Mumbai on 21 and 22 August, but many celebs including Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak have demanded its cancellation.
Demand to cancel Israel Film Festival
The Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai in collaboration with NFDC is to organize the festival from 20 to 22 August at the National Museum of Indian Cinema at Peddar Road. On the opening day of the festival, Israel’s official entry to the Oscars, ‘Seven Blessings’, is also to be screened. But about 100 people have demanded the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) to cancel this film festival to be held in Mumbai. An online petition has alleged that the screening is being organized against the backdrop of the ongoing war in Gaza.
These people were also involved with Naseeruddin Shah
The petitioners in the petition to cancel the film festival include Naseeruddin Shah, actor Ratna Shah, filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, freedom fighter Dr GG Parekh and activist Tushar Gandhi. The statement said, “This screening is shamefully being organised by the NFDC (National Film Development Corporation) at a time when the whole world is witness to Israel’s war, crimes, ongoing massacres and genocide in Gaza and across Palestine.”
Film festivals are immoral at such a time
The statement further said, “The management of the National Film Development Corporation and the National Museum of Indian Cinema should be aware that the Government of India has recognised the Palestinian State. Thus, it is completely unethical and unwise for NFDC and NMIC to screen Israeli films at this time in human history.”