Busan International Film Festival Cancels Israeli Film’s Event Amidst Protests
On October 4, KST, the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) was scheduled to hold a Q&A session with the director of the Israeli movie Of Dogs And Men. But the event was canceled amidst protests from Korean activists who demanded the festival reject “artwashing” the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
The term “artwashing,” coined in 2017 during the protests against gentrification in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, refers to the usage of art and artists in a way to cover up or legitimize negative actions by an individual, an organization, or a state. Since last October, Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on civilian lives in Gaza has prompted activists all around the globe to call for a cultural boycott of the state as a part of the larger BDS movement (boycott, divestment, and sanctions). The idea at its core is to reject any attempt at artwashing a state actor that is in flagrant violation of International Humanitarian Law.
After Of Dogs And Men was added to the lineup of the BIFF screenings, more than 800 filmmakers and cultural workers called on the festival to cancel the screening. According to the BDS National Committee’s statement, “BDS Korea and Korean Cultural Alliance for Palestine held demonstrations in and outside the cinema just before the cancellation.” A woman even stormed onto the stage where the Q&A was supposed to be held and delivered a fiery speech about rejecting artwashing of Israel’s crimes against humanity.
부산 어딘가의 호텔에 숨어 이 상황을 모니터링하고 있을 감독 및 관계자들께 고합니다. 우리에게 이런 처참한 수준의 프로파간다를 투척하지 마세요. 당신의 부산 여행이 결코 즐겁지 않기를 조속히 이 땅을 떠나기를 바랍니다
To the filmmakers and officials hiding in a hotel somewhere in Busan https://t.co/DphZgEdTXl pic.twitter.com/dzq87zGaF2— 🍉 팔레스타인평화연대 – BDS Korea 🇵🇸 (@pps_kr) October 4, 2024
The film is about an Israeli girl looking for her lost dog? Palestinians in Gaza fear that their own body could become food for starving stray dogs. The only time Gaza is even given a ‘story’ is through a poorly-made VFX sequence. Gaza is not fiction.
— Protestor on stage
Though the festival has not provided any reason for canceling the Q&A event, the BDS National Committee sees it as a partial win for the movement. The activists are expected to push further for the cancellation of all the movie screenings.
The incident has drawn the attention of international netizens, who have shown overwhelming support for the Korean protestors.
i have so much respect for them especially for that beautiful queen with the powerful speech 🥹👏🏼 https://t.co/AdQQEJmGZk
— nana⁷ 🍉 (check pinned) (@lilyoongid2) October 4, 2024
This is what I love to see 🇵🇸🇵🇸🇵🇸 https://t.co/Q9XpUrXcv8
— Lally⁷ | ✨🍉 (@onmyjungkook7) October 4, 2024
this is so powerful im so proud of them 🥹🥹🥹 https://t.co/yxMVkGY8aP
— a🍉 (@stillwithjin) October 4, 2024
Thank you for your work and standing in solidarity in Busan. Artwashing will not, should not be tolerated https://t.co/GCRa1ZGwSl
— XianxiaGirl (@rwizz_r) October 4, 2024
