On February 25, local time, the "Independent Spirit Awards" award ceremony, known as the Oscars of the independent film and television industry, was held at Santa Monica Beach in Los Angeles. The film "The Past" directed by Celine Song Won the Best Picture Award. However, during the event, there were pro-Palestinian protests outside the big tent at the venue.
According to "Variety", a pro-Palestinian person held a black loudspeaker and protested loudly. During this period, recordings of slogans such as "Liberate Palestine", "Long Live Palestine" and "Ceasefire Now" were played in a loop, which even people in the venue could hear. , the volume was even louder than the speakers in the venue, and it appeared on the TV broadcast. Some people in the venue walked outside the venue to find out what the noise was.
Ouyang Wancheng, the host of the ceremony, ridiculed the "hecklers" outside the venue on the stage, saying: "We are a group of people who make independent films, and it is common for us to be yelled at. This kind of scene makes me feel very comfortable, It feels like I'm back in my childhood." Later, Babak Jalali, the director of the film "Fremont," gave his acceptance speech when he accepted the John Cassavetes Award. Also disturbed by protests. Babak said: "I don't know what people outside are saying, but no matter what they say, it is definitely more important than what I am about to say. I admire what they say outside the court, and I don't even know what to say. What's going on?"
"deadline hollywood" reporters observed at the scene that the organizer's security team had stepped forward to negotiate with the man holding a loudspeaker, but without success. Not far away, a group of security guards were eating pizza and observing the situation. There were also three police officers nearby, one of whom was heavily armed. However, a police officer at the scene told Deadline reporters that the man involved had no criminal behavior and they could not intervene. In order to block the sound of the protest, the organizers brought a black business bus and parked in front of him to block the sound of the loudspeaker as much as possible.
"New York Times" entertainment reporter Kyle Buchanan interviewed a man who used a loudspeaker to protest. The man said he was from the National Alliance against Racism & Political Repression. At the same time, he criticized the New York Times on the spot as a complicit media in spreading false news and distorting facts.
On the other hand, film critic Tomris Laffly interviewed Vivian Wiseman, a woman who attended the demonstration, and asked them why they used disruptive activities to draw attention to what is happening in Palestine. matter. Vivian told Torres: "We want everyone to know that activists and people who care about Palestine will disrupt the attendees wherever they go because we believe in love, we believe in peace, and we believe in the liberation of the Palestinian people."
A reporter from The Hollywood Reporter found Josh Welsh, chairman of the organizer Film Independent, to respond to the incident after the meeting. "We believe in the First Amendment and respect free speech," Josh said. "Obviously right now, people are passionate about what's going on in the world and want to talk about it, and we support that. Of course, we're going to To commend film workers for some outstanding works. But I also think today’s performance is wonderful, everyone integrated what is happening into their speeches in a clever way.”
At the red carpet ceremony before the official start of the awards ceremony, Buzz Reilly, the creator of the Amazon web series "I'm a Virgo," blasted Hollywood for not speaking out enough to support the people of Gaza: "In a place where everyone has the loudest voice, you don't want to hear people talk about Gaza. , right? As art workers, we need to participate in movements that help stop wars. Being afraid to say certain things is not helping."
There has been a wave of demonstrations supporting Palestine and calling for a ceasefire in Israel across the United States recently, Independent Spirit Award Incidents of interference are not unique.On the day of the award ceremony, Aaron Bushnell, an active US military pilot, set himself on fire live outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington to express his "no longer being willing to be an accomplice to genocide." The pilot was rushed to hospital for treatment, but died of his injuries on Monday.
