Edited by: Fern Sidman

Orwa Nyrabia, the acclaimed documentarian and Artistic Director of the International Documentary Film Festival (IDFA), finds himself under intense scrutiny and calls for resignation after being caught on video applauding as protesters interrupted the festival’s opening night ceremony in Amsterdam, as was reported on Friday by the Hollywood Reporter. The protesters held a banner with the controversial statement, “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free,” which is a direct call for the elimination of the state of Israel.

The Hollywood Reporter said that sixteen prominent members of the Israeli film community expressed their “uttermost dismay, disappointment, and concern” in a letter addressed to IDFA and the international film industry. The signatories, including Assaf Amir, chairman of the Israeli Film Academy, and other industry leaders, denounced Nyrabia’s conduct, viewing it as a personal attack against them. THR also reported that they called on IDFA’s director and board to distance themselves from such calls for violence, the withdrawal of platforms for those inciting harm, and the rejection of anti-Semitic sentiments.

The signatories include Assaf Amir, chairman of the Israeli Film Academy; Hagit Ben Yaakov, chairwoman of the Israeli Documentary Forum; Pnina Halfon Lang, executive director of CoPro — The Israeli Content Marketing Foundation; Adar Shafran, chairman of the Israeli Producers Union; Limor Pinhasov, chairwoman of the Israel Directors Guild; Ayala Sharot, chairwoman of the Animation Guild of Israel; Nadav Ben Simon, executive director of the Screen Writers Guild of Israel; Limor Haaronivtz of the Docaviv International Film Festival; Roni Mahadav of the Levin Jerusalem Film Festival; Yaron Shamir, artistic director of the Haifa Film Festival; Riki Blich, chairwoman of Shaham, The Israeli Actors Organization; Galy Reshef, chairman of ACT — The Israel Association of Cinema and TV Professionals; Tamir Hod of Cinema South Film Festival; Eli Ohana, chairman of Alma — Association for the Production Professions; Guy Lavie, vp, documentaries at yes TV; and Rinat Klein, head of Channel 8, as was stated in The Hollywood Reporter article on Friday.

Numerous Israeli filmmakers took to social media to condemn Nyrabia’s actions. The Hollywood Reporter noted that Nitzan Gilady expressed disbelief, emphasizing the global significance of the documentary festival. Noam Pinchas criticized the method of expressing support for the Palestinian cause, stating it encourages hatred and death. Duki Dror went further, describing it as not just anti-Israel sentiment but support for a crime against humanity, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Rick Trank, the Oscar-winning documentarian heading the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Moriah Films division, is calling for Nyrabia’s immediate resignation. Trank argues that the IDFA is meant to be a platform for diverse opinions, not a partisan event advocating for the destruction of Israel, as was indicated in The Hollywood Reporter article.

In a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, Trank said, “The IDFA is supposed to be an international gathering of documentary filmmakers where a diverse range of films expressing the gamut of opinions are presented. It is not supposed to be a partisan event calling for the destruction of the Jewish state. What is even more disturbing is that this call took place in Amsterdam on the 85th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the 1938 pogrom in Austria and Germany which saw synagogues, Jewish schools and institutions and Jewish businesses firebombed and thousands of Jews arrested, beaten and murdered.”

Trank added that, “Even more concerning is that this occurred at a time when anti-Semitic incidents in the Netherlands have increased more than eight-fold since the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack. Jewish authorities in the Netherlands have cautioned Dutch Jews to be careful about wearing anything in public that identifies them as Jews as anti-Semitic incidents have been occurring at the most alarming rate since the Holocaust. Many Jews have stopped wearing yarmulkes and stars of David in public and others have removed the mezuzahs from the exterior doorways of their homes,” as was noted in The Hollywood Reporter article.

Trank concluded by saying, “Mr. Nyrabia should step down immediately from his position at the IDFA. He has shown that he cannot be a fair advocate for all documentary filmmakers, especially Jewish and Israeli documentarians. His actions have marred the reputation of a once respected film forum.”

Nyrabia, in a statement issued by IDFA, claims he did not see the words on the protesters’ banner. The Hollywood Reporter article said that he apologized for not paying attention to the banner in the moment, stating that he clapped to welcome freedom of speech and not to endorse the controversial slogan. IDFA reiterated that the slogan does not represent them, and they do not endorse it in any way.

Nyrabia, a Syrian-born filmmaker who is perhaps best known for producing the 2013 documentary Return to Homs, which was awarded the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize, has been a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences since 2017 and a member of the board of the International Documentary Association since earlier this year, as was indicated in The Hollywood Reporter article.

The controversy surrounding Nyrabia has cast a shadow over the IDFA, once a respected film forum. Calls for his resignation raise questions about his ability to be a fair advocate for all documentary filmmakers, particularly those from Jewish and Israeli backgrounds. As the situation unfolds, the festival’s reputation and commitment to fostering diverse perspectives will be closely examined.

The clash at IDFA’s opening night has ignited a fierce debate about free speech, political activism, and the responsibilities of festival organizers. The fallout from this incident could have lasting implications for the documentary film community, prompting a reevaluation of the delicate balance between artistic expression and the potential perpetuation of divisive sentiments within the film festival landscape.