The Durban Film Festival boycotts Israeli films and prevents them from participating in solidarity with Palestine
In a letter to the Israeli director, Yaki Elon, they told him that he would not be able to participate and screen his documentary "A Land of Ir"
Jerusalem24 – The organizers of the Durban International Film Festival, which is held annually in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, announced that it is boycotting Israeli actions and preventing them from participating, due to Israeli violations against the Palestinian people.
In a letter to the Israeli director, Yaki Elon, they told him that he would not be able to participate and screen his documentary “A Land of Ir”, or accept the work of Israeli filmmakers, while the rights of Palestinians are trampled and the repression continues unabated by the Israeli government.
“This is what we suffered during the apartheid years as South Africans, and this is precisely why we understand the importance of culturally isolating Israel,” they added.
It is noteworthy that the Durban International Film Festival, established in 1979, is the oldest and largest film festival in Africa, and offers more than 200 shows to celebrate the best in South African, African and international cinema.
Most of the shows are either African or South African, and the festival also offers workshops for filmmakers, seminars, discussion forums, and outreach activities that include performances in township areas that do not have cinemas.
It also offers many competitive sections and some prizes have cash money, and since 2006, Amnesty International has sponsored a cash prize called the Amnesty International Prize in Durban for Human Rights.
