Queer Cinema for Palestine was born of commitment to center Palestinian voices, to manifest and nourish intersectional solidarity among oppressed communities, and to create a vibrant space for LGBTQIA+ artists and collectives to stand together, using art to oppose the ongoing violence of Israeli apartheid.
As we witness Israel’s most far-right, racist, misogynist and homophobic government wage a genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza killing thousands, 40% of whom are children, that commitment is stronger than ever.
Because we have known marginalization, discrimination, and oppression, for many of us on multiple levels, we know to look past oversimplified narratives that conveniently leave out crucial context.
We reject violence against all innocent civilians, irrespective of identity. At the same time, we know that the root cause of the violence is Israel’s 75-year regime of apartheid oppressing millions of Palestinians. We know that the only viable means for ending the violence is taking action to end the oppression.
As we prepare for the second edition of the Queer Cinema for Palestine film festival, we are emboldened by the growing show of support for Palestinian rights, from the grassroots to institutions. We join the many calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire; immediate entry to Gaza of vital life-saving humanitarian aid, including water, food, fuel, and medicine; UN protection for the 2.3 million Palestinian civilians trapped under siege in Gaza; and a comprehensive military embargo on Israel, as was done to apartheid South Africa.
We also reject the racist propaganda that aims to demonize and dehumanize Palestinians. We know how dangerous this is, putting Palestinian lives at risk.
The Queer Cinema for Palestine film festival is an expression of our unwavering commitment to the Palestinian struggle for freedom, justice, and equality, to LGBTQIA+ liberation, and to the struggles of all oppressed peoples and communities.
QUEER CINEMA FOR PALESTINE 