A group of concerned citizens, including actor Naseeruddin Shah and filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, has urged the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) of India to cancel an Israeli film festival scheduled for this week in Mumbai.
The festival, set to take place on Wednesday and Thursday at the National Museum of Indian Cinema, is being criticized for its timing, as it coincides with Israel's ongoing military offensive in Gaza.
In a statement released on Monday, the group expressed their dismay, stating that the NFDC is "shamefully" holding the event while the world witnesses what they described as "Israeli war crimes" and a "genocide in Gaza and across all of Palestine." The signatories of the statement include notable figures such as actors Naseeruddin Shah and Ratna Pathak, freedom fighter GG Parikh, filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, and Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.
The conflict in Gaza erupted on October 7 when the Palestinian militant group Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 people and the taking of over 200 hostages. In response, Israel has conducted extensive air and ground strikes on Gaza, which have reportedly claimed the lives of more than 40,000 people, including over 15,000 children.
The group highlighted that the Indian government has recognized the Palestinian state and argued that hosting an Israeli film festival at this time is "immoral, unethical, and unconscionable." They called on the NFDC and the National Museum of Indian Cinema to cancel the screenings until Israel complies with international law.
The statement also referenced documented evidence of Israeli war crimes presented by South African human rights lawyers to the International Criminal Court (ICC), which has recognized Israel's actions as genocide. The group noted that the ICC has announced plans to issue an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stand trial for war crimes.
In light of this evidence, the group strongly urged the NFDC to cancel the Israel Film Festival, calling the decision to host it a "travesty of justice."