Israeli attempt to shame Ken Loach only brings more attention to the occupation

The fallout from the Toronto Declaration continues. YNet is reporting that the Israeli distributor for English director Ken Loach’s film will not accept any profits from the screenings of his films in Israel. Instead, Nurit Shani, chief executive of Lev Cinema and Film, will use the money to promote Israeli films abroad. Responding to Loach’s consistent criticism of the Israeli occupation, and most recently his participation in the Toronto protest, Shani said, "I view his deeds as an act of hypocrisy, a burning slap in the face of democracy and the humanistic spirit of his films. His movies are of a great director, but his actions are of a small person."

Loach, screenwriter Paul Laverty and producer Rebecca O’Brien had a pithy response, “It is not often we hear of bosses voluntarily sharing profits, so it was with some delight we heard the good news that Nurit Shani of Lev Cinemas and Films in Israel will use the profits from our film Looking for Eric to benefit Israeli film makers.” But they didn’t leave it there. They had some ideas where the funds could best be used:

“We hope this new found determination to redistribute wealth will be matched by her wisdom in choosing to support those film-makers most starved of resources. Logically, that would mean those brave free spirits in the Israeli artistic community who decide to respect the cultural boycott and refuse to accept any funds from the Israeli State.

Who knows, but perhaps some time in the future Shani’s vision will help kick start projects about those courageous Isreali soldiers who formed the group “Breaking the Silence” and spoke out against the “reckless and gratuitous use of white phosphorous” in civilian areas in Gaza, and were appalled by the use of Palestinians as human shields?

Perhaps too we will be fortunate to watch films about those young men and women in Israeli prisons who refuse to join the Israeli army because of the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands. And why not include Palestinian film makers or is Israel really an apartheid State?”

Shani addressed the Loach controversy at the Haifa International Film Festival where Loach’s film Looking for Eric premiered. Funny enough, no one seemed to tell Loach his film would be screened there until after it was shown. Loach, Laverty and O’Brien:

“Unfortunately, Shani’s new found generosity is not matched by her good manners. It is a long established tradition that film-makers are invited, or at least informed by the distributors, if their film is invited to a festival. We were not told that Looking for Eric was invited to the Haifa film festival until after the event.

Maybe this is because of our joint decision to respect the cultural boycott of projects supported by the Israeli state and called for by Palestinian artists, writers and grassroot organisations. We also note the words of one of Israel’s leading poets Aharon Shabtai who said “I do not believe that a state that maintains an occupation, committing on a daily basis crimes against civilians deserves to be invited to any kind of cultural (event).”

Shani’s dilemma is one many Israelis will face as the BDS movement continues to grow – how to interact with the international community as Israel is increasingly isolated.