Academy apologises for statement on No Other Land director attack

The apology comes after stars including Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem and Emma Thompson criticised the academy.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatch LiveHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC InDepthBBC VerifySportBusinessExecutive LoungeTechnology of BusinessFuture of BusinessInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceAI v the MindCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsArtsArts in MotionTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingAudioPodcastsRadioAudio FAQsVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureArtsTravelEarthAudioVideoLiveWeatherNewslettersAcademy apologises for statement on Palestinian Oscar winner attack13 hours agoShareSaveShareSaveOscar-winning Palestinian film director leaves detentionThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences apologised on Friday after hundreds of its members criticised it for not supporting Oscar-winner Hamdan Ballal, a Palestinian who was recently detained by Israeli settlers.

The Academy apologised for not "directly [acknowledging] Mr Ballal and the film by name", after nearly 700 voting members, including multiple A-list actors, signed a letter rebuking it.

Mr Ballal is one of the co-directors of the documentary No Other Land, which won an Academy Award this month.

He said earlier this week that he was attacked by Israeli settlers before being detained by the Israeli military. He was later released.

The academy initially responded to the incident on Wednesday, but it did not refer to Mr Ballal directly, which led to scrutiny from Hollywood.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgj5jn04gd2o

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