The situation in Palestine has shocked the global community, as it has us. We could never collaborate with any company currently associated with the IDF or with the propaganda mechanisms of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government.

The company that drew your attention is indeed one that had collaborated with the official Israeli state in the past, as all film production companies around the world have at some point. Due to their clearly expressed political stance, which is decidedly anti-war, this collaboration ceased long ago (well before October 7, 2023). In fact, the company now faces serious financial difficulties precisely because of this stance. The films for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and state television that you mention date back to 2018 and 2019, when the political climate was quite different.

Like all progressive voices in Israel, they too have had their subsidies cut and have fallen into disfavor. Its people are actively involved in the resistance movement within Israel and oppose the war against the Palestinians in Gaza in every way they can. For these reasons, they sought an outlet and established the Greek branch, The Hive Greece.

The selection of films for the festival is, of course, made on strict artistic criteria, while at the same time we try to be as inclusive as possible. Nevertheless, without putting artistic value on the scale, we would never wish to provide a platform to those who actively support the policy of the Netanyahu government—or any government that wages war—and we would not accept such a participation.

We strive to contribute to the cultural development of our beloved Syros within our means. At the same time, we are thoughtful citizens deeply concerned about what is happening in the Middle East. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to propose a comprehensive plan for peace in the region, nor would it be honest of us to pretend otherwise. Our only ambition is to provide a stage to as many voices as possible—especially those that are marginalized. We would like to include more voices from Palestine than we currently have, but regrettably the situation there does not allow animation filmmakers to produce more work.

We look forward to welcoming you to the festival and hearing any interventions you may wish to make.