Lanthimos, Gavras among filmmakers Condemning Death of Palestinian Photojournalist Fatima Hassouna
Fatima Hassouna’s death, the letter insists, is not just a tragedy but a stark reminder of the power — and the duty — of cinema to bear witness.
More than 400 filmmakers, actors, and film professionals from around the world — including acclaimed directors Costa-Gavras, Yorgos Lanthimos, Pedro Almodóvar, David Cronenberg, Mike Leigh, Paolo Sorrentino, and actors such as Richard Gere, Mark Ruffalo, and Susan Sarandon — have signed an open letter condemning the killing of 25-year-old Palestinian photojournalist and actress Fatima Hassouna by an Israeli airstrike on April 16, 2025, in Gaza.
The letter, published this week, denounces the “targeted attack” that killed Hassouna just one day after it was announced that she would appear in Sepideh Farsi’s film Put Your Soul on Your Hand and Walk, which was selected for the ACID program at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. According to the letter, Hassouna was “ready to be married,” and the same strike also killed ten members of her family, including her pregnant sister.
“An unspoken genocide”
The statement refers to what the signatories describe as an “unspoken genocide” unfolding in Gaza. It highlights the targeted killings of civilians, journalists, artists, and cultural workers by the Israeli military, stating that over 200 journalists have been “deliberately killed” since the start of the conflict. It also draws attention to the case of Palestinian filmmaker Hamdan Ballal, co-director of the Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land, who was allegedly beaten by settlers and detained by the Israeli army in March, before being released under international pressure.
The letter strongly criticizes the broader film industry for its “passivity” and “silence” in the face of ongoing violence, calling on fellow filmmakers to confront the reality and speak out.
A call to action
“We are ashamed of such passivity,” the letter reads. “Let us rise up. Let us name reality. Let us reject the propaganda that constantly colonizes our imaginations and makes us lose our sense of humanity. For Fatma, for all those who die in indifference. Cinema has a duty to carry their messages, to reflect our societies.|
The open letter urges the artistic community to resist complicity in violence by refusing to allow art to be used as a vehicle for silence or distortion. It emphasizes the responsibility of creatives to respond with clarity and conscience to the events unfolding in Gaza.
“Let’s act before it’s too late,” the signatories warn.
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Source: tovima.com
