Seinfeld, Sacha Baron Cohen and Natalie Portman slam Toronto Film Festival protest

[oberliner]

WASHINGTON - A number of Hollywood stars circulated a letter Tuesday protesting a petition calling for a boycott of the Toronto International Film Festival over a Tel Aviv-themed event.

The letter, which appeared simultaneously in the Los Angeles Times and the Toronto Star was signed, among others, by Jerry Seinfeld, Sacha Baron Cohen, Natalie Portman, Jason Alexander and Lisa Kudrow.

The letter, which was paid for by Jewish organizations in Los Angeles and Toronto, said, "Anyone who has actually seen recent Israeli cinema, movies that are political and personal, comic and tragic, often critical, knows they are in no way a propaganda arm for any government policy."

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1114902.html

[aquart]

1. Yes, only Israel should pay for its sins.

All other nations are free to do as they please. The stench of the hypocrisy.

[wellst0nev0ter]

5. To Quoque Is Not An Argument. Try Again (n/t)

[oberliner]

7. Your "tu quoque" point is irrelevant here

as there is not an argument being made as to whether or not any stated premise is true.

The claim is about whether or not there is any hypocritical behavior taking place.

Five people commit the same crime, only one goes to jail

The other four go unpunished.

Is that a fair system of justice?

[Vegasaurus]

8. Deep stench, with deep hypocrisy

That runs throughout the whole conflict.

[ET Awful]

2. So, would they have written the same letter if it was a Tehran themed event?

Just asking.

I mean, honestly, I don't find that "theme" worth protesting over. I also don't find said protest worth objecting to.

[oberliner]

3. Good question

It would have been interesting to see what the reaction would have been if Tehran and Iranian films had been featured at the festival.

[shaayecanaan]

11. Apparently the Israeli component of the festival is the product of a sister cities arrangement...

which generally exist to provide local aldermen with opportunities for travel junkets. At least the ratepayers are seeing something for their money in this case.

Apparently, the films to be shown will have a "celebratory" tone. I don't think that entirely excludes the possibility of any of the films having artistic merit; however, I doubt that we'll be seeing many hard-hitting documentaries. I think "friendly puff pieces" will be the order of the day.

I doubt the city of Toronto would have a sister city arrangement with an Iranian city. If they did, and if they had a film exhibition of soft and cuddly Iranian commercial films, I think there would be a comparative protest from the other side - particularly given that public money is involved.

Personally, I wouldnt get upset about it, although I'd have to say that in terms of the festival's credibility, selecting films to screen other than for their merit alone is probably going to bite them in the end.

[oberliner]

12. That is entirely incorrect

There is no "sister city" arrangement and the films do not have a "celebratory tone" and there are many "hard-hitting" entries included.

There is no basis whatsoever for your claim that the festival would not feature Tehran in the future.

Essentially, every piece of information you've presented in your post is inaccurate, with all due respect.

[shaayecanaan]

13. Actually, you're right...

I saw the "sister cities" mentioned in Ebert's review - however he was referring to the program itself, it seems. My mistake.

I had a look at the list of films. Some of them are friendly puff pieces. A couple of them seem mildly searching (romances between Jews and Arabs, etc) without being especially contentious.

I should note that the one Iranian film on offer is indeed a hard-hitting documentary - an anti-government film by an Iranian dissident on the Bassidji militia. It could be coincidence that they passed over the latest offering from Kiarostami or Makmalbaf to feature that particular film, but I doubt it.

However, as I said in my earlier post, its not something I have a problem with. The double standard bothers me more than anything.

[Kurska]

9. I'd love to see more Iranian cinema, I would be absolutely thrilled if that were to happen.

And I support the current iranian regime about as far as I can throw it.

Especially if the films were impartial and balanced like by all accounts the Israeli films are. Iran has a unique historical perspective and wonderful remarkable people, denying their outlook on things is just as terrible as trying to censor Israeli art.

[sfwriter]

4. Natalie Portman... Say it isn't so...

Sad to say, but this event in Toronto is part of an Israeli plane to boost their image. The content of the films is irrelevant. It is the spotlight on Tel Aviv as a place somehow apart from the conflict, when bombers used to murder 1200 flew from there.

Let the films stand on their own merit instead of creating a whitewashed Israeli love fest.

[madrchsod]

6. a tempest in a tea pot.....

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1020646.html

it sounds like some people on both sides are posturing for publicity.....

[IndianaGreen]

10. Borat is pro-Israel?

I'm not surprised!