Her remarks resonated deeply with the audience and elicited a thunderous and sustained round of applause.
At the prestigious Venice Film Festival, Jewish American director Sarah Friedland used her acceptance speech as a platform to express her solidarity with the Palestinian people, who are currently enduring what she described as "the 336th day of Israel's genocide in Gaza," in relation to her debut film 'Familiar Touch'.
Friedland's stance sparked attention, as she seized the opportunity to shed light on the protracted suffering of Palestinians, emphasising the urgency of addressing the humanitarian crisis and advocating for an immediate end to the violence.
While accepting the Luigi de Laurentiis prize for best first film for "Familiar Touch", she remarked, “As a Jewish American artist working in a time-based medium, I must note, I’m accepting this award on the 336th day of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and 76th year of occupation.”
She added, “I believe it is our responsibility as filmmakers to use the institutional platforms through which we work to redress Israel’s impunity on the global stage. I stand in solidarity with the people of Palestine and their struggle for liberation.”
Her remarks resonated deeply with the audience and elicited a thunderous and sustained round of applause.
The filmmaker's powerful statement was made amidst a growing chorus of global disapproval, as nations, organizations, and individuals from diverse backgrounds have come together to unequivocally denounce the Israeli military's actions.