Pro-Palestine protesters chant ‘from the river to the sea' at Cannes

Yahoo

15-05-2025

Pro-Palestine demonstrators chanted 'from the river to the sea' as they staged a rally against 'genocide' at the Cannes film festival – despite a ban on political protests.
For the first time in almost 10 years, the festival is hosting an official Palestinian Pavilion. The pavilions serve as a base for filmmakers and producers to show off opportunities in their countries.
However, on Thursday, the site was used to host an event in which activists criticised what they described as Israel's 'genocide' in Gaza. It was held to coincide with the annual Nakba Day, which marks the expulsion of Palestinian Arabs from the region in 1948 and laments the founding of the state of Israel.
Speakers at the event railed against the 'ongoing atrocity' suffered by Palestinians and declared 'end this genocide', with one chanting 'from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free'.
International festival-goers, including British and American citizens, and some members of the press attended while wearing keffiyeh Palestinian scarves.
A Greek journalist tearfully called out 'free Palestine', while a South African delegate led chants of 'free, free Palestine'.
The event was billed as a gathering to 'remember lives shaped by genocide' and 'the people of Gaza, their martyred children, women and men'.
It was organised by the Palestine Film Institute, which is leading the Palestinian delegation in Cannes. The institute states on its website that there is a 'relentless genocide perpetrated against our people in Gaza'.
Film Workers for Palestine also helped with the organisation. The international group has characterised the current conflict in Gaza as a 'US-backed genocide', and has led calls for a boycott of Disney and Marvel over their 'whitewashing' of the violence.
Activists with the group have claimed on their website that the films Captain America: Brave New World and the recent Snow White remake were attempts 'to normalise anti-Palestinian racism and cover up Israel's ongoing carnage in Gaza'.
The Snow White film starred Gal Gadot, an Israeli actress, who the group branded a 'propagandist'.
The gathering took place on the seafront grounds of the Cannes film festival, despite rules prohibiting 'political, militant or electoral events or demonstrations'.
The ban was introduced for this year's festival to 'not to offend the participants' various sensitivities'.
Those who breach the rules run the risk of being thrown out of the festival, and each national pavilion is responsible for the events that it hosts.
A spokesman for the festival said it had 'this year... made explicit in its charter certain rules that have long been in effect.'
They added: 'The Festival de Cannes does not ban political expression. However, our focus must remain on the films and the creative teams presenting them.
'For this reason, we have a long-standing rule that prohibits any demonstrations or protests that have not been expressly authorised in advance.
'The Marche du Film hosts pavilions from a wide range of countries around the world. Each pavilion is managed autonomously by the institution it represents and bears full responsibility for the events and activities organised within its private spaces.'
The ban on political activity came after nearly 400 stars signed an open letter calling for the film industry to take a stand on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Actors including Australian Guy Pearce and British star Ralph Fiennes supported the call, which stated: 'We cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza.'
The festival's jury president, Juliette Binoche, used her speech at its opening ceremony to touch on both the plight of Gaza's civilians and the Oct 7 massacre. Her remarks would have been signed off in advance.
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