Canada / 04-09-2009
Canada - Artists protest Tel Aviv focus at Toronto film fest
A protest by filmmakers and artists opposed to a Toronto International Film Festival program that spotlights Tel Aviv is growing, with plans to hold a press conference Thursday to coincide with the festival's opening.More than 60 people – including prominent members of the Jewish community such as author/activist Naomi Klein, Judy Rebick and Israel filmmaker Udi Aloni – have signed a letter protesting the Israeli financial capital's inclusion in the festival's inaugural City to City program.
The list also includes prominent names such as actors Jane Fonda and Danny Glover, British filmmaker Ken Loach, musician David Byrne as well as artists from Canada, the United States, Europe and Africa.
A core group of largely Toronto-based Jewish filmmakers is accusing the festival of playing into "the Israeli propaganda machine" with the City to City program, which excludes Palestinian voices from the 10-film program.
"The most disturbing part about this is there was no consultation with the community, there was also no sensitivity to the way that this issue affects many people in the community," said filmmaker Kathy Wazana.
"We're very pleased because it shows that a whole bunch of people ... are concerned enough about this issue to put their name forward in public," Fung said.
He emphasized that signators to the letter of protest are not calling for a boycott of TIFF or the City to City program.
