Oscars Doc Branch Members Slam “Heinous” Film Academy Statement on ‘No Other Land’ Co-Director Attack

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Various Documentary Branch associates have shown strong disapproval towards a statement issued by AMPAS heads Bill Kramer and Janet Yang on Wednesday, which implies that the assault and detention of recent Oscar-winner Hamdan Ballal may elicit diverse opinions among Academy members.

Film director Ballal, who recently won an Oscar for co-directing the best documentary feature winner No Other Land, encountered trouble on Monday night (March 24) when Israeli military forces apprehended him during a skirmish with settlers in his hometown of Susiya, located on the West Bank. Ballal was hurt, suffering injuries to his head and abdomen, as stated by co-director Yuval Abraham. He was bound and covered, then detained overnight before being released the following day.

Dear Kramer and Yang,

As a passionate admirer of both your work and the Academy, I find myself struggling to articulate the depth of my dismay and outrage over the insensitive statement that was recently sent out under your names. The notion that you would consider the appalling incident involving a recent honoree as something for which we, your members, might have “unique viewpoints” is utterly appalling and unacceptable. I can’t help but feel shocked and enraged by this suggestion.

With all due respect, I urge you to reconsider your stance on this matter. It’s crucial that the Academy takes a firm and unequivocal stand against such heinous actions, and I sincerely hope that you will do so in the future.

Best regards,
[Your Name]

Scnhack, renowned for his documentary works such as “Caucus”, “Speaking is Difficult”, and “We Always Lie to Strangers”, also pointed out that Academy members have a history of recognizing documentarians who bravely undertake daring tasks in the creation of their films. This could involve working in dangerous conflict zones or confronting formidable interests.

He stated: “Your comment underscores that The Academy won’t speak up should a similar incident occur to one of its members, whether it’s instigated by a domestic or foreign government. In today’s context, it’s unacceptable for such an influential organization like The Academy to succumb and remain quiet. This isn’t the path forward if The Academy values artistic liberties and our filmmaker rights.

On social networking sites, fellow members from the documentary branch expressed widespread approval for Schnack’s letter. Jehaine Noujaim, director of the 2014 Academy Award-nominated film “The Square”, commented: “Thank you AJ, well said. I too will write a letter.”

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Across various social media platforms, fellow documentary branch members voiced their general approval for Schnack’s letter. Jehaine Noujaim, director of the 2014 Best Documentary Feature nominee “The Square”, posted: “Thank you AJ, excellent job. I will write a letter as well.”

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Fellow documentary branch members on social media platforms gave broad support to Schnack’s letter. Jehaine Noujaim, director of the 2014 Best Documentary Feature nominee “The Square”, tweeted: “Thank you AJ, great job. I will write a similar letter.”

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On social media sites, members from the documentary branch offered broad approval for Schnack’s letter. Jehaine Noujaim, director of the 2014 Best Documentary Feature nominee “The Square”, expressed: “Thank you AJ, well done. I will write my own letter as well.”

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Social media platforms saw fellow documentary branch members expressing broad support for Schnack’s letter. Jehaine Noujaim, director of the 2014 Best Documentary Feature nominee “The Square”, stated: “Thank you AJ, I agree. I will write a letter too.

Ina Finch, the producer nominated in 2023 for the documentary feature Fire of Love, expressed: “It would be ideal if the entire Documentary Branch could endorse this statement publicly. Additionally, let’s address a letter to them as well.

As a gamer, I’d put it like this: “Hey folks, I’m just a gamer, but when Rachel Leah Jones, director of the Emmy-winning doc ‘Advocate’, speaks up, it’s worth listening. She went a step further, pointing out that The Academy’s recent move was not right and it serves as a wake-up call to all its members, even those who are comfortably white under the Trump regime. This isn’t about having unique perspectives; it’s about what’s right and what’s wrong.

Additionally, filmmakers such as Katie Dellamaggiore (“Brooklyn Castle”), Doug Block (“112 Weddings”), Nina Davenport (“First Comes Love”), and Alison Klayman (“Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry”) also voiced their backing on Facebook, creating a significant wave of endorsement.

Historically, unlike some other filmmaking organizations like the International Documentary Association (IDA) or the Cinema Eye Honors, the Academy has not frequently released statements in support of film professionals facing persecution.

Despite some instances where they’ve stayed neutral, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) has taken action on certain occasions. For instance, in 2012, they joined hands with IDA (International Documentary Association) by signing a letter advocating for the release of detained Syrian documentarian Orwa Nyrabia. Moreover, in 2011, they took a more decisive step by issuing a statement condemning the arrest of Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi. Panahi was later nominated for an Oscar for his documentary titled “This is Not a Film“. At that time, the AMPAS board wrote, “The ongoing house arrest of Jafar Panahi, along with others, requires our immediate concern. These filmmakers are not political adversaries; they are artists. We stand in solidarity with our global counterparts in urging for these artists’ safety, release, and resumption of their creative work.

The Hollywood Reporter contacted the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) for a response regarding today’s statements, but they have yet to respond.

Following Schnack’s public posting of his email concerning the Academy on Facebook, the Cinema Eye Honors, an organization he co-founded along with Ballal, released a statement expressing their solidarity with him.

In shock, we, members of the international nonfiction film fraternity, condemn the brutal assault and abduction of filmmaker Hamdan Ballal that occurred this week. Over the last few years, there has been a concerning rise in incidents where state entities have targeted filmmakers and journalists. It is crucial for us, as fellow members who support and honor these creative individuals, to stand united with them when they face such threats or attacks.

As a gamer, I’d rephrase it like this: “In the role of an observer, I follow the brave residents of Masafer Yatta in the Occupied West Bank, led by filmmakers Ballal and Basel Adra (Palestinian) along with Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor (Israeli), in their determined struggle to prevent the Israeli military from tearing down their villages.

The movie earned praise and accolades at several festivals and events, but it was often followed by controversy.

After winning the top documentary prize at the 74th Berlinale in 2024, Adra expressed concern to German politicians about continued weapon shipments to Israel. He stated that it was difficult for him to fully enjoy the victory when so many people from his community are being killed and oppressed in Gaza by Israel. Claudia Roth, Germany’s culture minister, found Adra’s speech to be excessively biased and characterized by a profound animosity towards Israel.

Even though this movie garnered global recognition, it hasn’t managed to find substantial distribution within the U.S. by influential companies like Netflix, Apple, or HBO. Instead, it’s had to make smaller agreements with local cinemas, which frequently lead to packed houses due to word-of-mouth promotion.

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The film has received international acclaim but has struggled to get major U.S. distribution deals from companies like Netflix, Apple, and HBO. Instead, it’s been relying on individual agreements with local theaters, often causing sold-out screenings due to word-of-mouth marketing.

A deal involving Florida’s O Cinema, situated at Miami Beach Historic City Hall, led to Miami Beach’s mayor threatening to end a theater’s lease and funding. Mayor Steven Meiner deemed the film antisemitic, but later withdrew his threats following the signing of an open letter by hundreds of documentarians (including this author), who criticized him for infringing upon free speech rights.

The movie has garnered criticism from a significant Palestinian rights organization, specifically The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), which supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. This group openly opposes collaborating with Israeli businesses functioning in the occupied West Bank.

PACBI accused the filmmakers of potentially breaching “anti-normalization” regulations. They claimed that these guidelines could inadvertently make the concepts of Israeli “occupation, apartheid, and settlement colonization” appear ordinary, thereby fostering normalized relationships with Israel’s government.

Apart from its victories at the Oscars and Berlinale, the film “No Other Land” was additionally honored with top documentary awards from various prestigious platforms such as the European Film Awards, Gotham Awards, Film Independent Spirit Awards, IDA Documentary Awards, National Society of Film Critics Awards, New York Film Critics Circle Awards, and numerous others.

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2025-03-27 23:27