The Jerusalem Film Festival, commencing today, faces pushback as Portuguese director Pedro Pinho announced on Instagram his refusal to present his latest film, ‘O Riso e a Faca,’ at the event, urging a boycott of Israel.
Pinho stated his choice was driven by the belief that any engagement in events furthering the semblance of normalcy amid ongoing genocide in Palestine equates to complicity.
Speaking to Lusa, Pinho elaborated that despite receiving a letter from the festival director, he remained firm in his decision.
“The festival involves public and financial intervention by the State of Israel, making the director’s request insufficient. The continuation of life as usual amidst such atrocities is hard to swallow,” he asserted.
On Instagram, Pinho and the Palestine Solidarity Committee urged filmmakers, producers, and artists to shun cultural initiatives linked to the “genocidal state of Israel.”
Last week, the Jerusalem Film Festival’s board acknowledged the current “profound pain and uncertainty.” They lamented the immeasurable loss and suffering due to ongoing regional conflicts and called for an immediate cessation of violence, expressing hope for the safe return of hostages.
Pinho criticized Europe’s and Portugal’s stance on the Palestinian situation as a “death sentence for human rights values,” mentioning the hypocrisy and complicity through arms supply and lack of solidarity with those affected.
‘O Riso e a Faca’ premiered in May at the Cannes Film Festival’s ‘Un Certain Regard’ section, earning actress Cleo Diára an award for her performance.
The film narrates the journey of Sérgio, an environmental engineer in a West African metropolis, tasked with decisions about road construction between desert and jungle, as described by producers Uma Pedra no Sapato and Terratreme Filmes. It explores Europe’s historical superiority and colonial ideologies persisting unreasonably.
Shot in Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau, ‘O Riso e a Faca’ debuted commercially in France this month and is set to screen in Brazil, Germany, Austria, Spain, and the UK; its Portuguese debut is scheduled for autumn.
Pinho, co-founder of Terratreme Filmes, directed works like ‘Bab Sebta’ with Frederico Lobo, ‘As cidades e as trocas’ with Luísa Homem, and ‘Fábrica de nada’ (2017), showcased at the Jerusalem Film Festival.
Established in 1984, the festival opens with Joachim Trier’s ‘Sentimental Value’ and will honor actress Gal Gadot and producer Lawrence Bender.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza erupted after Hamas-led attacks on October 7, 2023, in southern Israel, resulting in approximately 1,200 deaths and over 200 hostages.
Israel’s retaliation has led to over 58,000 deaths, near-total destruction of Gaza’s infrastructure, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands.
According to the United Nations, in the past 21 months, more than 17,000 children have died and 33,000 have been injured in the Palestinian enclave, averaging 28 child fatalities daily.
[News updated at 14:01]
