As a gamer with a strong sense of social justice, I find myself torn between my love for cinema and my commitment to environmental and human rights issues. The incident at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has left me feeling rather conflicted.
On Thursday evening, demonstrators disrupted the opening night screening at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), focusing their chants on the Royal Bank of Canada, as it serves as the event’s official banking partner.
The demonstration took place during a preview performance of director David Gordon Green’s film “Nutcrackers” at Toronto’s Princess of Wales Theatre, which was followed closely by an adjacent screening where Ben Stiller attended the premiere.
Four individuals, seemingly acting as protesters, were vocalizing the chant “From Turtle Island to Palestine, RBC supports genocide” and hoisting signs that read “RBC is jeopardizing our future” and advocating for: “TIFF, sever connections with RBC.”
“Protesting in unity for those tackling the climate crisis, ending the conflict in Gaza, and upholding Indigenous rights, filmmakers and film students interrupted a performance of ‘The Nutcracker,’ as they expressed later in their statement.”
“RBC’s persistent financial commitments are causing significant environmental damage, infringing on Indigenous lands, and are linked to acts recognized as war crimes worldwide. By maintaining its relationship with the bank, TIFF is essentially supporting and validating these harmful practices. Meanwhile, demonstrators are urging for calm and advocating for an end to the violence in Gaza.”
Elza Kephart, representing RBC Off Screen, declared in a statement that TIFF’s association with RBC is a form of whitewashing criminal activities that endanger both human lives and the environment. As film professionals, we firmly oppose allowing our industry to be exploited by those who gain financially from the devastation of our climate and communities.
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2024-09-06 03:24