The Academy has drawn backlash after issuing a statement to members seemingly addressing criticism for not speaking out in support of Palestinian director Hamdan Ballal — one of the filmmakers behind the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land” — who earlier this week was attacked by Israeli settlers and then detained by the Israeli army, according to the Associated Press. The statement, which was sent Wednesday night and signed by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang, did not mention “No Other Land” or Ballal by name.
“The Academy condemns harming or suppressing artists for their work or their viewpoints,” reads the statement in part. “We are living in a time of profound change, marked by conflict and uncertainty — across the globe, in the U.S. and within our own industry. Understandably, we are often asked to speak on behalf of the Academy in response to social, political and economic events. In these instances, it is important to note that the Academy represents close to 11,000 global members with many unique viewpoints.”
Ballal was released by Israeli authorities on Tuesday after his co-director Yuval Abraham wrote on X the day prior that he had gone missing after being attacked. “A group of settlers just lynched Hamdan Ballal, co-director of our film ‘No Other Land,’” Abraham said. “They beat him and he has injuries in his head and stomach, bleeding. Soldiers invaded the ambulance he called, and took him. No sign of him since.” According to ABC News, Ballal was detained along with several others on suspicion of throwing stones and damaging property, allegations which he denies. “I didn’t throw stones, I didn’t do any problems with the settlers,” he told ABC. “The settlers came attacking me and beating me. That’s it.”
“No Other Land,” which won the best documentary Oscar earlier this month and was made by an Israeli-Palestinian collective including Abraham, Ballal, Basel Adra and Rachel Szor, follows a Palestinian family living in the West Bank as their home gets destroyed by the Israeli government and they face displacement. On Wednesday, Abraham criticized the Academy for not speaking out about the attack against Ballal.
“Sadly, the U.S. Academy, which awarded us an Oscar three weeks ago, declined to publicly support Hamdan Ballal while he was beaten and tortured by Israeli soldiers and settlers,” he wrote on X. “The European Academy voiced support, as did countless other award groups and festivals. Several U.S. Academy members — especially in the documentary branch — pushed for a statement, but it was ultimately refused. We were told that because other Palestinians were beaten up in the settler attack, it could be considered unrelated to the film, so they felt no need to respond.”
Abraham continued: “In other words, while Hamdan was clearly targeted for making ‘No Other Land’ (he recalled soldiers joking about the Oscar as they tortured him), he was also targeted for being Palestinian — like countless others every day who are disregarded. This, it seems, gave the Academy an excuse to remain silent when a filmmaker they honored, living under Israeli occupation, needed them the most. It’s not too late to change this stance. Even now, issuing a statement condemning the attack on Hamdan and the Masafer Yatta community would send a meaningful message and serve as a deterrent for the future.”
The Academy’s statement sparked social media backlash from the film community and some within the awards body, including documentary branch member AJ Schnack. In a Facebook post, Schnack called it “bad in ways that boggles the mind.”
“I had chalked up the Academy’s failure to speak out in support of a recent Oscar winner being beaten and abducted, I assumed events had happened too fast for you to take action,” Schnack wrote in a response addressed to Kramer and Yang. “I am shocked and angry that you are now letting us, your members, know that you view the abduction and beating of a recent honoree as something that members will have ‘many unique viewpoints’ of. With respect, it’s a truly heinous suggestion.”
Member Kathleen McInnis agreed with Schnack, saying: “I am deeply disappointed in the leadership choices, actually the lack of leadership regarding their choices, from an institution I have been so proud to be a part of … Journalists, filmmakers, those who shine bright lights on the darkest corners of humanity need protection and support, not watered down words. Too little, too late, Academy.”
“No Other Land” co-director Abraham also responded to the Academy’s statement on X, highlighting that they explained “their silence on Hamdan’s assault” with the “need to respect ‘unique viewpoints.’” He also compared the remarks to a prior Academy statement expressing their “rightfully strong position when it’s the Iranian government oppressing filmmakers.”
The Academy declined Variety‘s request for comment.
Elsewhere in the film community, Ballal received a statement of support from the International Documentary Association and a petition calling for his release garnered thousands of signatures including Guy Pearce, Alex Gibney, Christine Vachon, Liz Garbus, Ava DuVernay and more. A coalition of U.S. film critics’ groups — comprising members of the National Society of Film Critics, the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the Boston Society of Film Critics — also condemned the violence against him in a statement on Thursday, writing: “As critics representing four of the numerous organizations that honored ‘No Other Land’ as the best documentary of 2024, we are infuriated that a filmmaker’s brave and principled advocacy has made him even more of a target in a community where Palestinians already exist under continual threat of displacement and violence.”
The statement continues: “One of the most powerful aspects of ‘No Other Land’ — and the reason so many have tried, in vain, to limit its reach and silence its message — is that it is itself a rare feat of collaboration between Palestinian and Israeli journalists, activists and artists, united by their belief in dignity and equality for all. By the very nature of its form and creation, the film represents, and dares to imagine, a more peaceful future. We applaud Mr. Ballal and his colleagues for the courage and artistry with which they have advanced that vision and affirm that it will never be forgotten.”
Read the Academy’s full statement below.
Dear Academy members,
At the heart of the Academy’s mission is a commitment to honoring excellence in the motion picture arts and sciences and connecting the world through the power of cinema. We do this through our work on the Oscars, our exhibitions and programs, our preservation and education efforts, and so much more. We believe deeply in the ability of film to illuminate, to provoke thought, and to bridge divides by offering a window into diverse human experiences.
We fundamentally believe that film has the power to enlighten global audiences and highlight different perspectives — and we encourage our members to use their art to do so. The Academy condemns harming or suppressing artists for their work or their viewpoints.
We are living in a time of profound change, marked by conflict and uncertainty — across the globe, in the U.S., and within our own industry. Understandably, we are often asked to speak on behalf of the Academy in response to social, political, and economic events. In these instances, it is important to note that the Academy represents close to 11,000 global members with many unique viewpoints.
We are, however, united in a shared belief in the importance of storytelling, in the value of empathy, and in the role of film as a catalyst. As an organization, our focus continues to be the celebration of creative voices that make up the global film community – and supporting your freedom to create, to challenge, and to imagine.
We remain steadfast in this work, and we are grateful to walk alongside each of you in it.
Bill Kramer and Janet Yang
From Variety US