Jewish Creatives Support Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars Speech in Open Letter

Debra Winger, Joel Coen, Todd Haynes and Lenny Abrahamson are also on the list of signees

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Joaquin Phoenix, Elliott Gould and more than 150 other Jewish creatives have signed open letter supporting Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar speech.

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The list of 151 signees also includes Phoenix’s sister Rain, three-time Oscar nominee Debra Winger, “May December” director Todd Haynes, “Sorry to Bother You” helmer Boots Riley, acclaimed filmmaker Joel Coen, “Room” director Lenny Abrahamson.

“Arrested Development” star David Cross, documentarian Amy Berg, “Barbie” actor Hari Nef, playwright Tom Stoppard, comedian Kate Berlant, “You Hurt My Feelings” director Nicole Holofcener, “Secrets & Lies” auteur Mike Leigh, “Gossip Girl” actor and writer Tavi Gevinson, “The Princess Bride” actor Wallace Shawn, “Bottoms” director Emma Seligman, “Mistress America” star Lola Kirke, “Zola” helmer Janicza Bravo, “Broad City” stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson.

Ilana Glazer said, “I signed this letter to help counter the climate of silencing that many workplaces and industries are facing around Israel’s war on Gaza, now entering its seventh month. This controversy surrounding Jonathan Glazer is just one example.”

After Glazer’s Holocaust drama The Zone of Interest won the Oscar for best international feature at the March 10 ceremony, the director used his speech to address the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. “All our choices were made to reflect and confront us in the present, not to say look what they did then, but rather look what we do now. Our film shows where dehumanization leads at its worst. It’s shaped all of our past and present,” Glazer said. “Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people. Whether the victims of October — whether the victims of October the 7th in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims of this dehumanization, how do we resist?”

His words were met with both backlash and praise.

In open letter, over 1,000 Jewish creatives and execs denounced Glazer’s speech for helping to fuel “growing anti-Jewish hatred around the world,” while others have come to his defense by calling his statement “brave” and “hugely valuable.”

Glazer has yet to publicly address the backlash to the speech, but earlier this week the director donated 7 signed posters to Cinema for Gaza auction raising money for Medical Aid for Palestinians.

“We are Jewish artists, filmmakers, writers and creative professionals who support Jonathan Glazer’s statement from the 2024 Oscars. We were alarmed to see some of our colleagues in the industry mischaracterize and denounce his remarks,” the open letter reads. “Their attacks on Glazer are a dangerous distraction from Israel’s escalating military campaign which has already killed over 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza and brought hundreds of thousands to the brink of starvation. We grieve for all those who have been killed in Palestine and Israel over too many decades, including the 1,200 Israelis killed in the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the 253 hostages taken.”

The letter continues, “The attacks on Glazer also have a silencing effect on our industry, contributing to broader climate of suppression of free speech and dissent, the very qualities our field should cherish. We should all be able to do the same without being wrongly accused of fueling antisemitism.”

“We honor the Holocaust by saying: Never again for anyone,” the statement concludes.

Oscars 2024: Jewish Creatives Support Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars Speech (The Zone of Interest”) in Open Letter

Jewish Creatives Support Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars Speech in Open Letter

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