Middle East Conflict Comes to the Toronto Film Fest

Usually, nothing is less controversial than Canada, but heated political conflict has arisen this year at the Toronto International Film Festival, which runs Sept. 10-19.

The problems began when the 2009 TIFF announced it would be make Tel Aviv the focus of its City-to-City Spotlight program designed to celebrate international film culture. On Aug. 27, Canadian filmmaker John Greyson withdrew his documentary short Covered from the competition in protest of the program. The next day, he and nine other Toronto residents signed a petition, urging the city's cultural communities to "protest TIFF's complicity in the Israeli propaganda machine." His stated political objections were mainly to Israel's PR campaign Brand Israel, which aims to repair the country's tarnished international image. Greyson publicly stated that he finds the campaign objectionable because of what he considers Israel's continued occupation of Palestinian territories.

Controversy continued to heat up at the fest as several other filmmakers withdrew their films as well. Cameron Bailey, co-director of TIFF, in an open letter penned after Greyson's withdrawal, defended the City-to-City Spotlight program, stating that "the goal of [the program] is to take a closer look at global cities through a cinematic lens... especially where film contributes to social change in compelling ways." He went on to encourage audiences to discuss these films and engage in their own political debate to draw their own conclusions.

Greyson's objections were then echoed by well-known activist-celebrities in a letter of support entitled "The Toronto Declaration - No Celebration of Occupation." It, too, denounced TIFF's program as one that celebrated Israel's role in the Middle Eastern conflict and its military presence in Palestinian areas. The letter was endorsed by the likes of Noam Chomsky, David Byrne, Viggo Mortenson and the ubiquitous Jane Fonda. (Although Fonda later demurred and backed off of the letter's strong statements).

Soon after their endorsement of Greyson, counter-protests erupted in Hollywood. On Thursday, Sept. 10, a full-page ad, signed by more than one hundred actors, writers, producers and executives, appeared in Variety entitled, "We Don't Need Another Blacklist." Among its famous authors were Natalie Portman, Sacha Baron Cohen, Seth Rogen, Jerry Seinfeld, Robert Duvall and Halle Berry. The ad argued that Israeli cinema was free and uncensored and was not a propaganda arm of the government, and that blocking these films from being seen would hinder the cultural exchange of ideas.

The conflict has turned into a full-blown firestorm, embroiling the organizers of the TIFF, which has become one of the major international film festivals in recent years.

Festivus: True/False Film Festival 2009

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