Los Angeles, California – Debra Messing, well-known for her role in “Will & Grace,” and director Eli Roth, recognized for his work on “Hostel,” are part of a group of 450 Jewish creatives and Hollywood executives who have united to denounce director Jonathan Glazer following his controversial speech at the Oscars.
During the awards ceremony, Glazer received the Oscar for Best International Film for “The Zone of Interest,” a movie centered around an Auschwitz commandant and his wife attempting to establish a dream life near the camp. However, Glazer’s remarks at the event sparked a wave of criticism.
The open letter signed by various prominent Jewish figures in Hollywood, such as Amy Sherman-Palladino, Amy Pascal, and Jennifer Jason Leigh, expressed their disapproval of Glazer’s statements. They rejected the notion of equating the atrocities of the Nazi regime with the actions of the Israeli nation in self-defense.
Glazer’s speech was condemned by The Holocaust Survivors’ Foundation USA as “morally indefensible” and “disgraceful.” David Schaecter, the 94-year-old president of the foundation, expressed his anguish over Glazer’s remarks and the comparison made between Hamas’s violence and Israel’s self-defense efforts.
In contrast, the organization Breaking the Silence defended Glazer, commending his stance against the misuse of Judaism and the Holocaust to justify political agendas. They emphasized the importance of empathy and the avoidance of using civilian lives as bargaining chips in conflicts.
“The Zone of Interest” received a glowing five-star review from film critic Clarisse Loughrey of The Independent, who praised the film for delivering a powerful message from the outskirts of Auschwitz, capturing the profound impact of the historical events depicted in the movie.