Academy apologizes for the first statement after attack on Hamdan Ballal: NPR

Hamdan Ballal, Oscar-winning Palestinian director of No other countryIs released from a police station in the western bank of Kiryat Arba a day after he was held by the Israeli army on Tuesday after an attack by Jewish settlers.

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences issued a statement to its members on Friday and apologized for the not sufficient pronounced support of the Palestinian Oscar-winning filmmaker Hamdan Ballal.

Ballal, who this year has won the function-length Docemadary Academy Award for co-directing the film No other country About the difficulties of life under the Israeli occupation, said He was attacked On Monday by Israeli settlers. He was then arrested by the Israeli army. Israeli authorities released the director the next day and said that Ballal had been held before swinging stones. The filmmaker and witnesses deny this accusation.

The Academy first explanation In response to the alleged attack, on Wednesday to its approximately 11,000 members, the name of Ballal or the title of his film did not contain.

Co -signed by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang, the Wednesday declaration in general, such as: “The Academy condemns the damage or suppresses artists for their work or their views,” and “We believe deep in the ability of film to illuminate, to lure a window and dividies”.

Kramer and Yang’s UpdatedSent on Friday and shared by the Academy press office on Saturday via e -mail with NPR, was more explicit:

“We regret that we did not recognize Mr Ballal and the film directly by name,” said it. “We sincerely apologize to Mr Ballal and all the artists who have not supported our previous explanation and want to make it clear that the academy condemns violence all over the world.”

The apology appeared after a wave of online protests against the academy – first because they did not respond to Ballal’s attack and then because she did not respond enough.

“Unfortunately, the American Academy, which awarded us an Oscar three weeks ago, refused to support Hamdan Ballal publicly while he was beaten and tortured by Israeli soldiers and settlers,” wrote No other country co-director Yuval Abraham on X On Wednesday, before Kramer and Yang released their first explanation.

“Various American Academy members – especially in the documentary location – insisted on a statement, but in the end it was refused. We were told that because other Palestinians were beaten up in the attack of the Settler, it could be considered not to do with the film, so they felt no need to respond,” wrote Abraham.

After the first statement by Kramer and Yang was issued, a large group of academy members was launched A letter of protest On Friday against it. Among the signatories, who had exceeded 800 at the time of writing, Hollywood A-Listers, including Pedro Pascal, Joaquin Phoenix, Olivia Colman, Steve Buscemi and America Ferrera.

“The explanation of Bill Kramer and Janet Yang came far below the feelings that this moment is asks,” says the protest letter above the signatures. “That is why we issue our own statement, which speaks for the undersigned members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.”

In an e-mail on Saturday, the Academy told NPR her updated apology that Ballal called and his film was already in the making before the multi-signed protest application, but that the 55-person board had to come together before it could be released, that extra time required.

The incident with Ballal emphasizes the ongoing eruptions of violence on the West Bank. Attack on Palestinians have escalated Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza in October 2023.