Israeli-Americans Protest Anti-Israel Documentary at Hamptons Film Festival
Israeli-American community members protested the screening of an anti-Israel documentary at the Hamptons International Film Festival, demanding truth and context.
Protest at Hamptons Film Festival
Around 100 members of the Jewish and Israeli-American community gathered on Saturday outside the Sag Harbor Cinema to protest the screening of the anti-Israel documentary film "Nezah" at the Hamptons International Film Festival.
The demonstration was jointly organized by several prominent groups, including the Israeli-American Council (IAC), East End Jews for Israel, the Jewish Center of the Hamptons, and local activist movements. Protesters stood near the venue entrance carrying signs, speaking with festival attendees, and explaining that the film distorts facts on the ground.
Speaking Out for Truth
"The goal of the demonstration was for proud Israeli-Americans and Jews to stand outside any venue screening this film and state our nation's truth: that the IDF is the most moral army in the world, and no film or platform can obscure that," stated Ido Cohen, a protest leader and IAC community member.
"Just stop lying. The truth is the most important thing, and the truth will ultimately prevail," Cohen added.
Expanding Opposition to Future Screenings
Alongside the physical protest, the IAC launched a national petition urging cultural institutions, movie theaters, and film festivals across the United States to mandate professional panels, survivor testimonies, and contextual background materials alongside screenings of the film. The documentary is scheduled to continue its screening tour in East Hampton, the Mill Valley Film Festival in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Los Angeles, often timed near the three-year anniversary of the October 7 attacks.
