Los Angeles, California – After facing backlash for their initial response to the violent attack on Oscar-winning “No Other Land” co-director Hamdan Ballal, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences issued an apology on Friday. In a letter to its members, academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang expressed regret for not directly acknowledging Ballal by name. The incident took place in the West Bank, where Ballal was reportedly beaten by Israeli settlers and detained by the Israeli military after winning an Oscar for best documentary.
The assault on Ballal, which occurred shortly after his Academy Award win, sparked widespread condemnation from various film organizations. The Academy eventually released a statement denouncing any harm or suppression of artists for their work or viewpoints. However, the response was criticized by Yuval Abraham, a journalist and co-director of “No Other Land,” who likened it to silence on Ballal’s assault.
In response to the backlash, over 600 members of the Academy signed an open letter expressing disappointment in the initial statement. High-profile signatories included Joaquin Phoenix, Olivia Colman, Riz Ahmed, Emma Thompson, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, and filmmaker Jonathan Glazer. Following a meeting of the board of governors, Kramer and Yang issued a revised statement apologizing to Ballal and all artists who felt unsupported by the previous response.
After being detained for more than 20 hours, Ballal was released by Israeli soldiers. Denying allegations of throwing stones at a settler, Ballal recounted being specifically targeted during the attack, with one settler kicking his head “like a football.” The incident shed light on the ongoing struggles faced by residents in Masafer Yatta, the subject of “No Other Land,” which documented the Israeli military’s expulsion orders and demolitions in the area.
Despite the challenges faced in finding distribution, “No Other Land” managed to self-release in theaters and exceed $2 million in North American box office sales. The film, a joint Israeli-Palestinian production, highlighted the plight of residents in Masafer Yatta and their fight to remain in their homes amidst ongoing military actions. The incident involving Ballal underscored the importance of standing against violence and suppression of free speech in any part of the world.