During his appearance at the 77th Primetime Emmy Awards, acclaimed actor Javier Bardem made a striking political statement. He walked the red carpet donning a keffiyeh, a clear symbol of solidarity, and publicly expressed his support for the ‘Film Workers for Palestine’ movement.
In an interview with Variety, the Oscar-winning actor articulated his passionate stance: “I am here today to denounce the genocide in Gaza. The International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), after extensive study, has unequivocally declared it a genocide. Therefore, we call for a commercial and diplomatic blockade, along with sanctions on Israel, to halt this atrocity. Free Palestine!”
Bardem further clarified that his convictions would impact his career decisions. “I simply cannot work with anyone who justifies or supports genocide,” he stated firmly. “This principle should apply across all industries, not just ours.”
Bardem’s remarks closely followed a significant collective action: over 3,900 film industry professionals, including notable figures like Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay, Olivia Colman, Ayo Edebiri, Mark Ruffalo, Riz Ahmed, Emma Stone, and Tilda Swinton, signed a pledge organized by Film Workers for Palestine. This pledge commits signatories to refuse collaboration with Israeli institutions or companies perceived as complicit in ‘genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.’
However, the pledge quickly drew criticism, notably from Paramount Studios, which released a statement rejecting such boycotts. The studio argued: “We do not support recent attempts to boycott Israeli filmmakers. Silencing creative individuals based on their nationality does not foster greater understanding or advance the pursuit of peace.”
In response to Paramount’s statement, Bardem emphasized that the boycott was directed at institutions, not individuals. He clarified: “Film Workers for Palestine does not target individuals based on their identity. Our focus is on film companies and institutions that are complicit in, or are attempting to whitewash or justify, the genocide and apartheid regime.”
Bardem himself was attending the Emmys as a nominee for his role as José Menendez in *Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story*.