The Oscars, considered the most important industry award ceremony in the film industry, was held a few days ago. And after the Oscar night, it was not the awards, but Jonathan Glazer's speech about Gaza that sparked controversy.
Glazer won the award for Best International Feature Film with his work "The Zone of Interest" Like every award winner, he also spoke on stage. Glazer's film tells the story of Rudolf Höss, the commander of Auschwitz camp who tried to create an ideal life for his family next to the camp where Jews were killed during the Second World War, and his wife Hedwig. So, it tells the dark world of the Nazis almost without showing any Jews. Naturally, the fact that the director of such a film called for a ceasefire in Gaza and made references equating Israel with the Nazis disturbed many people in Hollywood.
"All our choices were made to reflect and confront us in the present — not to say 'look what they did then,' rather, look what we do now,'" said the Jewish writer and director of the German-language British production.
"Our film shows where dehumanization leads at its worst ... Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people," Glazer declared.
"Whether the victims of October the seventh in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all are victims of this dehumanization. How do we resist?"
Already after October 7, Hollywood had divided into two camps: those who supported Israel and those who listened to their conscience and called for a ceasefire, saying that Palestinians were facing genocide. Glazer's speech triggered this division both in the ceremony hall and afterwards.
For example, according to Variety, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who won the award for Best Supporting Actress, did not applaud the speech. Mark Ruffalo, who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor, on the other hand, enthusiastically applauded. Ruffalo had come to the ceremony wearing a badge calling for a ceasefire, and has been among the celebrities who have been loudly calling for a ceasefire in Gaza for months.
Reactions to Glazer's statement have been widely covered in Hollywood's news sources such as The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. Criticisms and support have been voiced for days, with condemnations and endorsements flying around.
Asaf Kapadia, who won an Oscar in 2015 for his documentary "Amy," supported Glazer, saying, "He stood up and told the truth. This is what true artists do." Jesse Peretz, known for his films and TV series in Hollywood, also supported Glazer's actions.
The American Jewish Movement "If Not Now" was also among those who supported Glazer. The organization's founder, Simone Zimmerman, said, "For me, the most important line in the speech is the idea that this film should be a wake-up call for us right now."
The director of "Son of Saul," which won the Oscar for Best International Film as a Holocaust film before "The Zone of Interest," had an interesting approach. Hungarian director László Nemes said, "There is a responsibility attached to making such a film. Glazer clearly failed to measure this responsibility, including the extermination of European Jews. And it was horrifying that the elites of cinema applauded him for it."
