Mila Kunis, Neil Patrick Harris, Mayim Bialik, Billy Porter, Dame Helen Mirren, Debra Messing, Sia, Phil Rosenthal, Zachary Quinto, Sherry Lansing, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Dana Goldberg, Iliza Shlesinger, Gene Simmons, Greg Berlanti, Michael Ian Black, Tracy Ann Oberman, and Diane Warren among 300+ celebrities and entertainment industry professionals sign open letter against boycott of Israel’s largest LGBTQ+ film festival.
LOS ANGELES (Oct 19 2022) — More than 300 leaders from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter released by the non-profit entertainment industry organization Creative Community For Peace in support of the Tel Aviv International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (TLVFest) and the participating filmmakers.
The entertainment leaders stand united in rejecting the cultural boycott of Israel as yet another roadblock to peace and its subversion of art for nefarious political purposes. As the LGBTQ+ Community around the world continues to face immense discrimination, it is particularly shameful to boycott an event that gives a voice to their stories and struggles.
The open letter comes in response to repeated attempts by anti-Israel activists to boycott a film festival that celebrates international voices from the LGBTQ+ community, including the Middle East. TLVFest represents the epitome of coexistence, and regularly features Palestinian films.
“In Israel, movies have the unique power to bring together Jews, Arabs, and people of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds in collaboration under a shared love of the arts, working together towards the common goal of telling their stories, and building bridges of compassion and understanding,” the letter reads.
Signatories to the open letter include: Neil Patrick Harris (Actor); Dame Helen Mirren (Actress); Mila Kunis (Actress); Zach Quinto (Actor); Mayim Bialik (Actress); Sia (Artist and Songwriter); Debra Messing (Actress); Emmanuelle Chriqui (Actress); Aaron Bay-Schuck (CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Record); Jeremy Piven (Actor, Comedian); Marty Adelstein (CEO Tomorrow Studios); Jonathan Tucker (Actor); Billy Porter (Actor); Gene Simmons (Artist, KISS); Greg Berlanti (Producer, Director); Haim Saban (Chairman & CEO, Saban Capital Group); Iliza Shlesinger (Comedian); Robbie Rogers (Athlete); Dana Goldberg (Chief Creative Officer of Skydance); Simon Callow (Actor); Tracy Ann Oberman (Actress); Lance Bass (Artist); David Burtka (Actor); John Benjamin Hickey (Actor); Rick Rosen (Co-Founder of Endeavor); Ben Silverman (Chairman & Co-CEO, Propagate Content); Melissa Rivers (Actress, TV Host); Paul Feig (Actor/Director); Michael Rotenberg (Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment); Eric Balfour (Actor); Rachel Riley (TV Host); Richard Benjamin (Actor/Director); Diane Warren (Songwriter); and Sherry Lansing (Former CEO of Paramount Pictures) amongst many others.
See full list of signees below, and to add your name click here.
The letter’s signatories believe strongly in the power of film to bring people together, transcend boundaries, broaden awareness, and affect positive societal change. They also call on their friends and colleagues to join in expressing support for a successful TLVFest 2022.
“We stand united with all the participating filmmakers against the divisive rhetoric espoused by boycott activists who seek to misinform, bully and intimidate artists into removing their films from the festival or shame them for participating in the festival,” the letter continues.
“Anti-Israel boycott activists continually use incendiary language and misrepresent the facts to try and bully filmmakers into backing out. Their reckless use of misinformation only furthers hostility and decreases the chance for peace, which all of us so urgently desire,” stated Ari Ingel, Director of Creative Community for Peace.
Ingel added that “instead of amplifying the voices of coexistence and peace trying to effect real change on the ground, those who support the calls for a boycott are only creating more division and fear.”
Creative Community for Peace aims to promote the arts and culture as a means to peace and to counter and educate the entertainment industry about rising antisemitism. To learn more about their work, visit www.creativecommunityforpeace.com.
OPEN LETTER
We, the undersigned, believe that artistic freedom and creative expression are critical to a healthy, diverse, and inclusive society.
Films have the power to bring people together, transcend boundaries, broaden awareness, and affect positive societal change.
In Israel, movies have the unique power to bring together Jews, Arabs, and people of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds in collaboration under a shared love of the arts, working together towards the common goal of telling their stories, and building bridges of compassion and understanding.
The annual Tel Aviv International LGBTQ Film Festival (TLVFest) embodies this spirit of unity and truth, featuring films from filmmakers of all backgrounds, including Palestinians.
For this reason, we reject any attempt to boycott TLVFest – Israel’s largest LGBTQ Film Festival — which works to showcase the stories of LGBTQ people globally and create a brighter future for LGBTQ people both inside Israel and around the world.
We stand united with all the participating filmmakers against the divisive rhetoric espoused by boycott activists who seek to misinform, bully and intimidate artists into removing their films from the festival or shame them for participating in the festival.
We believe that anyone who works to subvert TLVFest merely adds yet another roadblock to freedom, justice, equality, and peace that we all desperately desire, especially for the LGBTQ community that is persecuted throughout the Middle East and around the world.
Artists should never be silenced, and art should not be subverted for political goals.
We call on our friends and colleagues worldwide to join us in expressing their support for a successful and exciting TLVFest 2022.
SIGNATORIES
Aaron Bay-Schuck: CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Records
Jason Adelman: Vice President, Brand Innovators
Orly Adelson: Producer, Orly Adelson Productions
Marty Adelstein: CEO, Tomorrow Studios
Michael Adler: Partner of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark Inc.
Javier Adrados: Music Journalist
Dan Aloni: Partner, Motion Pictures, William Morris Endeavor
Buck Angel: Trans Activist and Filmmaker, Actor
Nate Auerbach: Partner, Versus Creative
Michael Auerbach: Partner at Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein
Eric Balfour: Actor
Craig Balsam: Co-Founder, Razor & Tie Entertainment
Eve Barlow: Music/Culture Journalist
Jonathan Baruch: Partner, Rain Management Group
Richard Baskind: Partner & Head of Music, Simons Muirhead & Burton
Lance Bass: Artist, Entrepreneur
Miles Beard: Executive VP of A&R, Republic Records
Jonathan Beckerman: Agent, United Talent Agency
Pablo Bendersky: Producer/Artist
Aton Ben-Horin: Executive VP of Global A&R, Atlantic Records Group
Richard Benjamin: Actor/Director
Steven Bensusan: President, Blue Note Entertainment Group
Shelly Berger: Music Manager
Adam Berkowitz: Founder and President, Lenore Entertainment Group
Greg Berlanti: Producer, Director
Sara Berman: Artist
Luc Bernard: Director, Voices of the Forgotten
Mayim Bialik: Actress
Sharon Bialy: Casting Director
Josh Binder: Partner, Rotherberg, Mohr, and Binder LLP
Michael Ian Black: Actor
Neil Blair: Partner, The Blair Partnership
Evan Bogart: Songwriter & CEO, Seeker Music
Howard Bragman: Publicist
Josh Brill: Writer, Producer
Jurgen Bruning: Producer
A.J. Buckley: Actor
David Burtka: Actor/Chef
David Byrnes: Partner, Ziffren, Brittenham, LLP
Sir Colin Callender CBE: Producer and CEO, Playground Entertainment
Simon Callow: Actor, Director
Nick Carter: Artist
Markell Casey: Senior Director A&R, Sony Music Australia
Brian Celler: Bravo Charlie Management
Pamela Charbit: A&R Manager, Atlantic Records
Emmanuelle Chriqui: Actress, Activist
Erran Baron Cohen: Composer
Paul Colichman: Chief Executive Officer at Here Media, Inc.
Victoria S. Cook: Partner, Frankfurt Kurmit Klein & Selz
Leanne Coronel: President, The Coronel Group
Raye Cosbert: Managing Director, Metropolis Music
Ben Cosgrove: CEO, Leviathan Productions
Ian Daly: Head of Brand Strategy, Live Nation
Greg Daniels: Writer and Producer
Yuval David: Actor, Host, Filmmaker, and Advocate
Josh Deutsch: Chairman/CEO, Premier Music Group
Jenna Dewan: Actress
Avi Diamond: Director, Film & Licensing Warner Chappell Music
Kosha Dillz: Artist
Craig Dorfman: President and Owner, Frontline MGMT
David Draiman: Artist, Frontman of Disturbed
Doug Ellin: Screenwriter, Director
Stephan Elliott: Director
Craig Emanuel: Partner, Paul Hastings LLC
Ron Fair: Record Producer & CEO, Faircraft Inc.
Sharon Farber: Composer
Daniel Federman: Owner, Maccabi Tel Aviv
Eric Feig: Founder, Eric Feig Entertainment & Media Law Inc.
Paul Feig: Actor, Director, Producer
Ryan Feldman: Agent, William Morris Endeavor
Patti Felker: Partner, Felker Toczek Gelman Suddleson
Jacob Fenton: Partner, United Talent Agency
Ken Fermaglich: Partner, United Talent Agency
Rodney Ferrell: EVP, Head of Scripted, Propagate
Greg Fleishman: Co-Founder & CEO, Foodstirs
Josh Fluxgold: President, One Way MGMT
Erica Forster: VP of Music Partnerships, DanceOn
Gary Foster: Principal at Krasnoff Foster Productions
Eytan Fox: Director
Jordan Frazes: Founder, Frazes Creative
Ben Freeman: Educator and Writer
Sonia Friedman OBE: Theatre Producer
Stephen Fry: Actor
Siri Garber: President, Platform Public Relations
David Gardner: President, Artists First
Nancy Gates: Partner, United Talent Agency
Andrew Genger: Manager, Red Light Management
Gary Gersh: President of Global Talent, AEG
Gary Ginsberg: Former Senior VP, SoftBank Group Corp.
Daniel Glass: President and Founder, Glassnote Records
Karen Glauber: President, HITS Magazine
David Glick: Founder & CEO, Edge Group
Elon Gold: Comedian
Dana Goldberg: Chief Creative Officer, Skydance
Iddo Goldberg: Actor
Michael Goldwasser: Producer & President/Co-Founder, Easy Star Records
Michael Gordon: Partner, CAA
Andrew Gould: EVP Music Publishing, Roc Nation
Trudy Green: Trudy Green Management/HK
Steve Greenberg: President, S-Curve Records
Scott Greenberg: Manager and Partner at LBI Entertainment
Joao Rui Guerra da Mata: Director, Production Designer
Paul Haas: Agent, Partner William Morris Endeavor
Sarah Halioua: Producer and Partner, Abracadabra Audiovisual
Neil Patrick Harris: Actor
Ronnie Harris: Partner, Harris & Trotter LLP
John Benjamin Hickey: Actor
Antony Hickling: Director
Tom Holland: Author/Historian
Erik Hyman: Partner, Paul Hastings
Richard “BournRich” Ingram: Artist, Creative Director
Neil Jacobson: Founder, Hallwood Media
Jonathan Jakubowicz: Writer and Director
Aharon Keshales: Filmmaker
Zach Katz: President and COO, FaZe Clan
Lee Kern: Screenwriter
Scott Kluge: President, Tremendous Entertainment
Amanda Kogan: Agent, The Gersh Agency
Rick Krim: Co-Founder, Worldwired Music
Mila Kunis: Actress
Gabz Landman
Sherry Lansing: Former CEO of Paramount Pictures
Joanie Leeds: Singer/Songwriter
Sam Leifer: Writer/Director
Teddy Leifer: Producer
Martin Lesak: Partner, United Talent Agency
Colin Lester OBE: Founder/Chairman, JEM Music Group
David Levy: Partner, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment
David Levy: Former President of Turner/WarnerMedia, Founder of Back Nine Ventures
Jonathan Lipnicki: Actor
David Lonner: CEO, The David Lonner Co.
Ben Maddahi: SVP A&R, Columbia Records
Imran Majid: Co-CEO, Island Records
Gabriel Mann: Composer/Producer
Susan Markheim: Manager, Full Stop Mgt., The Azoff Company
Orly Marley: President, Tuff Gong Worldwide
Rachel Mason: Director
Nancy Matalon: VP of A&R, Spirit Music Group
Biran Maya: Actor, Producer
David Mazouz: Actor
AJ McLean: Artist
Doron Medalie: Composer
Debra Messing: Actress
Helen Mirren DRE: Actress
Matthew Mishory: Actor
Max Mutchnick: Executive Producer
Guy Nattiv: Director
Leetal Nissenbaum: VP of Synchronization and Licensing, Ultra Records
Lisa Nupoff: Manager, IMINMUSIC Management
Tracy Ann Oberman: Actress
Sharon Osbourne: Television Personality, Manager
Navot Papushado: Director
Mandi Perkins: Artist, Songwriter
Trevor Phillips OBE: Journalist and Commentator
Henry Platt: Musician
Jonah Platt: Actor/Writer
Jeremy Piven: Actor, Comedian
Billy Porter: Actor
Mike Praw: Entertainment Industry Executive
Paula Prentiss: Actress
Zachary Quinto: Actor
Itay Reiss: Talent Manager
David Renzer: Former Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing
Zak Resnick: Actor
Rachel Riley: TV Host
Melissa Rivers: Actress, TV Host
Lindy Robbins: Artist
Jaimison M. Roberts: Attorney
Hanna Rochelle: Founder & President, Lyric Culture
Poao Pedro Rodrigues: Filmmaker
Robbie Rogers: Professional Soccer Player
Dan Rosen: President of Warner Music Australasia
Rick Rosen: Co-Founder, Endeavor
Howard Rosenman: Producer, Actor, Writer
Shep Rosenman: Partner, Katz Golden Roseman LLP
Phil Rosenthal: Writer, Producer
Michael Rotenberg: Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment
Autumn Rowe: Songwriter, Producer, DJ
David Russell: Manager, Crush Music
Haim Saban: Chairman & CEO, Saban Capital Group
Asif Satchu: Co-CEO, MRC and Producer
Jacqueline Saturn: President, Virgin Music
Danielle Savre: Actress
Ayelet Schiffman: SVP Head of Promotions, Island Records
Paul Schindler: Senior Chair of the New York Entertainment and Media Practice
Steve Schnur: President of Music, Electronic Arts
Jordan Schur: CEO & Chairman, Mimran Schur Pictures & Suretone Entertainment
Sam Schwartz: Partner, Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency
Camila Seta: Marketing & Content Strategy, Rogers & Cowan
DJ White Shadow: Producer/Artist
Iliza Shlesinger: Comedian, Actress
Emile Sherman: Director, Producer
Noah “Westside Gravy” Shufutinsky: Artist
Sia: Artist and Songwriter
Ben Silverman: Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Propagate Content
Gene Simmons: Artist, KISS
Ralph Simon: Chairman & CEO, Mobilium Global Limited
Marty Singer: Attorney, Lavely and Singer
Robert Singer: President, Dec. 3rd Productions
Jeff Sosnow: EVP A&R, Warner Music
Nancy Spielberg: Filmmaker
Donna Spievak: Director of Strategic Marketing, Interscope Records
Justin Sternberg: Writer
Gary Stiffelman: Founder, GSS Law
Aaron Symonds: Composer
Traci Szymanski: President, Co-Star Entertainment
Alona Tal: Actress
Adam Taylor: President, APM Music
Fred Toczek: Partner, Felker Toczek Gelman Suddleson
Eric Tuchman: Writer, Producer
Jonathan Tucker: Actor
Ronli Tzour: VP Marketing & Manager, First Access Entertainment
Gal Uchovsky: Director
Ian Van der Putten: Cinemien
Tehran Von Ghasri: Entertainer
Ariel Vroman: Director
Jeremy Vuernick: Executive VP of A&R, Capitol Records
Diane Warren: Songwriter, Producer
Joshua Washington: Artist, Producer
Tom Watson: Former Shadow Secretary of State for Culture
Jon Weinbach: President, Skydance Sports
Nola Weinstein: Global Head of Culture & Experiential, Twitter
Ron West: Co-founder and Partner, Thruline Entertainment
Evan Winiker: Managing Partner, Range Media
Modi Wiczyk: Co-CEO, MRC and Producer
Jeffrey Winter: Executive Director, The Film Collaborative
Shirin Yadegar: Journalist
Sharon Tal Yguado: Founder & CEO, Astrid Entertainment
Sebastian Zar Esq.: Sedlmayr & Associates
David Zedeck: Global Head of Music, United Talent Agency
Additional Signers:
Phillip Guttmann: Writer, Producer
Orly Ravid: Founder & Co-Executive Director, The Film Collaborative
Amnon Lourie: Writer, Producer
Predrag Azdejkovix: Director, Merlinka Queer Film Festival – Belgrade
Nate Dushku: Director, Producer, Birder, Maplethorpe
Andrei Zinca: Director, Writer, Producer
Elana Podolskaya: Antipode Sales International LLC
Henrika Kull: Director
Thunska Pansittivorakul: Director, Sleep of Reasons Films
Marc Putman: CEO, PRIDEtv
Bjorn Koll: Salzgeber
Kai Tillman: Filmmaker
Jason Laurits: Filmmmaker
Adrian Hume Robinson: Actor, Filmmaker
Wiktor Morka: CEO, LGBT+ Film Festival Poland
Abe Gurko: Writer, Producer, Won’t Be Silent LLC
Stefan Manthey: Photographer
Kai Stanicke: Director
Laurent Burst: Photographer, Media Founder
Pauline Jabes: Filmmaker
Joshua Rosenzweig: Creative Executive
Andrea Krauss: Programming Director, Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival
Andy Vallentine: Director
Bohdan Zhuk: Director SUNNY BUNNY LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, Kyib
Allison Tate: Lead Producer, Big Boys Feature Film
Martin Rodriguez Redondo: Filmmaker
Olivier Ducastel: Director
Jacques Matineau: Director
Monika Treut: Hyena Films
Alante Kavaite: Film Director
Keith Levy: Sher Vine Inc.
Stefan Westerwelle: Director
Jakub Mroz: CEO, Tongariro Releasing
Romas Zabarauskas: Director
Michael Stock: Filmmaker
Marc Smolowitz: 13th Gen, Director, Producer, Executive Producer
Prederico Evaristo: Filmmaker, Brazil
Maria Katsikadakoy Cyber: Artist, Greece
Michelle Ehlen: Director, Producer
Rona Lee Shimon: Actor, Artist
Pepe Ruiloba: Film Critic, Festival Programmer
Amit Rahav: Actor
Ursula Raberger: Psychotherapist and Film Scientist
Jeffrey Schwarz: Documentary Filmmaker
Johanna Jackie Baier: Director
Malgorzata Kubiak: The Ego Trip Label
Ron Leshem: Writer, Producer
Moran Resenblatt: Actor
Eli Roth: Director
Kristina Maca: Director, Writer, Actor
Sonia Jean-Baptiste: Co-Founder & Head Programmer, Chelsea Film Festival NYC
Ingrid Jean-Baptiste: Founder & Artistic Director, Chelsea Film Festival NYC
Jen Cohn: Voiceover, On Camera, Gaming and Fashion
Wieland Speck: Filmmaker, ex Berlinale Panorama Director
FranckFiance-Madureira: President, Founder Queer Palm
Till Kleinert: Writer, Director
Stephane Riethauser: Director Lambda Prod
Fabian Stumm: Actor, Director
Rosa von Praunheim: Director
Daniela Aguinsky: Filmmaker, Artist Audiovisual
Julius Fedlmeier: Actor, Director
Clemens Schick: Actor
Elizabeth Ziff: Singer, Songwriter, Producer BETTY
Ofir Raul Grazier: Director
Matthew Nouriel: Director of Community Engagement, JIMENA
Tomer Heymman: Director
Yariv Mozer: Film Director
Dave Kim: Programmer, Seoul International PRIDE Film Festival
Shanni Suissa: CEO, Jews Talk Justice
Menina Putri Wismurti: Film Progammer
Dana Morag: Artistic Director, Tel Aviv Cinematheque
Michael Franco: Film Director
Eline Gehring: Director
Richard Resch: Singer
Mariana Cecilia Russo: Director, Producer, Sombracine SRL
Shawn Harris: Cultural Programs Specialist Tuscan Jewish Community Center
Amy Lord Posey: Eris Talent Agency Owner
Melissa Center: Actor, Filmmaker
Justin Arnold: Actor
Rachel Eddy: Actor, Writer
Paula Eiselt: Director and Producer
Rachel Turner Seed: Director
Jeremy Podgursky: Composer
Shara Ashley Zeiger: Actor, Filmmaker
Danny Manus: Script Consultant, Wrtier
Keetgi Kogan Steinberg: Writer, Producer, Screenwriter
Jamie Denbo: CO-EP, Grey’s Anatomy, Writer, Actor
Stephanie Liss: Founder, Artistic Director, The American Jewish Theatre
Wendy Engelberg: WGA East
Leslie Belzberg: Canucklehead Productions
Clifford Green: Screenwriter
Amy Engelberg: Writer
Patrick Moss: WGA Writer
Stafanie Leder: Writer, Producer, WGA
Alison Stover: Actor, Filmmmaker
Frederic Richter: Archival Producer & Researcher, Luminous Pictures
Avital Levy: Producer
Lisa Ullmann: Independent
Seth Nesenholtz: Screenwriter
** Note – The signers of this statement do so as individuals on their own behalf and not on behalf of their companies or organizations. All organizations and companies listed are for affiliation purposes only.
Cover Photo Collage: Photo Credits: Bill Porter: NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 05: Billy Porter attends Variety’s 2022 Power Of Women: New York Event Presented By Lifetime at The Glasshouse on May 05, 2022 in New York City. // Debra Messing: LOS ANGELES – JUN 9: Debra Messing at the “Will & Grace” FYC Event at the Harmony Gold Theatre on June 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, CA // Sia: LOS ANGELES, CA – DECEMBER 8, 2013: Australian singer Sia Furler at the 15th Anniversary TrevorLIVE gala to benefit the Trevor Project at the Hollywood Palladium. // Mila Kunis: Mila Kunis at Part 2-American Woman Fashioning a National Identity Benefit Gala Co-Hosted by GAP for the Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York May 3, 2010