Hollywood Stars Sign Pledge to Boycott Israeli Film Institutions, Sparking Industry Debate

More than 5,000 film workers have signed a pledge to boycott Israeli film institutions, according to Film Workers for Palestine. The pledge states, "We pledge not to screen films, appear at or otherwise work with Israeli film institutions — including festivals, cinemas, broadcasters and production companies — that are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people." The group says the push follows a broader movement among some Hollywood figures to apply a cultural boycott, listing high-profile signatories such as Diego Luna, Jonathan Glazer, Laura Poitras, Toni Collette, Mayim Bialik, Debra Messing, Howie Mandel and Haim Saban among others.

Meanwhile, 1,200 prominent film industry members signed an open letter released by Creative Community For Peace (CCFP) and The Brigade to condemn the boycott. The letter characterizes the pledge as "a document of misinformation that advocates for arbitrary censorship and the erasure of art" and notes that Israeli film institutions are not government entities. It argues that Israel’s film industry includes groundbreaking, celebratory and critical projects about Palestinians and Jews, and that many targeted festivals program dissent rather than stifle it. The letter adds that censoring voices trying to find common ground would echo historical horrors rather than advance dialogue.

Creative Community For Peace’s broader effort includes testimony from visible figures such as Mayim Bialik, who told CCFP that the industry bears a responsibility to remind the world of humanity. Bialik said, "Artists and creatives have a unique opportunity and responsibility to remind the world of our shared humanity. Boycotting filmmakers, studios, production companies and individuals simply because they are Israeli fuels division and contributes to a disturbing culture of marginalization. Additionally, this boycott pledge does nothing to end the war in Gaza, bring the hostages home, or help curb the alarming rise of antisemitism globally." The CCFP commentary also emphasized that Israeli film institutions are often the loudest critics of government policy and that many programs you target regularly showcase dissenting work.

A spokesperson for Film Workers for Palestine responded to CCFP’s counterletter, saying that the pledge has grown to more than 5,000 signatories with major new names such as Diego Luna, Jonathan Glazer, Laura Poitras and Toni Collette. The spokesperson described the opposing letter as "thinly veiled anti-Palestinian racism, using the language of collective punishment while Israel collectively punishes civilians in Gaza in the worst possible way: through genocide." The group asserted that CCFP has ties to StandWithUs, also known as the Israeli Emergency Alliance, a pro-Israel lobby with close links to government circles.

Debra Messing, known for her work on Will and Grace, was among the letter’s signatories and has been cited in coverage of the dispute. The exchange illustrates a broader fault line in the cultural world about whether to use artistic platforms as leverage on political issues, and whether such pressure helps or harms prospects for dialogue and peace.

The dispute comes as Hollywood figures on both sides of the debate press their messages to audiences and industry peers. Proponents of the boycott argue that cultural institutions can be complicit in oppression and that withdrawing participation with Israeli film bodies could pressure policymakers toward change. Opponents counter that cultural boycotts alienate voices, threaten artistic freedom, and risk erasing art that has historically sparked important conversations about conflict, identity and human rights.

For many in the industry, the core question is whether this form of boycott serves humanitarian aims or if it curtails the capacity of artists to engage with complex issues. Critics warn against repeating past patterns of censorship, pointing to examples from history where suppression of expression accompanied moral or political agendas and ultimately undermined trust and dialogue.

The ongoing debate touches on the practical impact of cultural boycotts, the nature of Israeli film institutions, and the visibility of Palestinian perspectives within global cinema. As the industry continues to weigh moral considerations against professional and artistic freedom, observers say the conversations are unlikely to resolve quickly, but they will influence how future collaborations are considered, how festivals frame programs, and how audiences understand cinema as a vehicle for human stories across contested landscapes.