Rome, Oct. 19 (LaPresse) – “There is a historical legacy of injustice. For decades, no one has taken responsibility for Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and the apartheid imposed on the Palestinian population within Israel: the West has chosen to ignore this for its own economic and diplomatic interests. This conflict — in reality, it is not a conflict, but an abuse of power, and today it is a genocide — is an example of realpolitik, whereby people turn a blind eye for their own benefit and pay no attention to those being killed or deprived of their freedom in Gaza.” This is what actor Javier Bardem said in an interview with Il Fatto Quotidiano. His film ‘The Beloved’ by Rodrigo Sorogoyen will be released in cinemas on November 12. Bardem says he is “very grateful to the young people demonstrating around the world and saying enough is enough, this can no longer be allowed. In my day, nothing like this existed. It represents a significant change in awareness and in the way human rights are discussed. How difficult is it to be pro-Palestinian in Hollywood? I work for people in Hollywood, but I don’t live there. I can work in Spain, in Europe: that makes a huge difference. It saddens me that at the Oscars and other events, fellow actors, actresses, directors and producers approach me to tell me how fantastic, wonderful and necessary what I do is: ‘I support you,’ but they barely whisper it. And I ask, ‘Why don’t you say it out loud?’ Then fear takes over. I don’t want to judge: everyone does what they want and what they can with their lives. But it hurts when people who hold positions of power, enjoy financial security and have professional stability, and could reach so many people, fail to use that position. I understand that an actor or actress at the beginning of their career may not be able to do so, especially women — patriarchy. But if you have the opportunity to choose your projects and work with different directors, why don’t you speak out? Why don’t you share what matters to you? That saddens me.” He then turned to the political situation in Spain: “Will Sánchez win the election again? I don’t know. What I do know is that I would have preferred to see a more united left. Youth mobilisations are raising awareness of the importance of voting for the left, because sometimes left-wing voters don’t vote; they abstain. But we have to vote: we are not simply choosing one party over another, but rather how the system will be run,” that is, “whether rights will be advanced democratically and progressively or fascism will be installed in Parliament. This is not about right versus left, but about having self-declared fascists in positions of power. In the Spanish regions where they govern, they take away rights and privatise everything: they will not build, they will destroy. That is a fact. This is why the appeal to the left is essential: it doesn’t matter who you vote for, as long as you vote.” On the cinema front, Paramount and Warner Discovery have merged: “It creates a monopoly in the hands of people who have a story to tell, not only artistically, but also in terms of news and information. We must be very careful, because while they control the media, others control the apps. This is today’s world, run by six or eight people.”
Cinema, Bardem: “Genocide in Gaza, Grateful to Young People Taking to the Streets”
Rome, Oct. 19 (LaPresse) – “There is a historical legacy of injustice. For decades, no one has taken responsibility for Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and the apartheid imposed on the Palestinian population within Israel: the West has chosen to ignore this for its own economic and diplomatic interests. This conflict — in reality, it is not a conflict, but an abuse of power, and today it is a genocide — is an example of realpolitik, whereby people turn a blind eye for their own benefit and pay no attention to those being killed or deprived of their freedom in Gaza.” This is what actor Javier Bardem said in an interview with Il Fatto Quotidiano. His film ‘The Beloved’ by Rodrigo Sorogoyen will be released in cinemas on November 12. Bardem says he is “very grateful to the young people demonstrating around the world and saying enough is enough, this can no longer be allowed. In my day, nothing like this existed. It represents a significant change in awareness and in the way human rights are discussed. How difficult is it to be pro-Palestinian in Hollywood? I work for people in Hollywood, but I don’t live there. I can work in Spain, in Europe: that makes a huge difference. It saddens me that at the Oscars and other events, fellow actors, actresses, directors and producers approach me to tell me how fantastic, wonderful and necessary what I do is: ‘I support you,’ but they barely whisper it. And I ask, ‘Why don’t you say it out loud?’ Then fear takes over. I don’t want to judge: everyone does what they want and what they can with their lives. But it hurts when people who hold positions of power, enjoy financial security and have professional stability, and could reach so many people, fail to use that position. I understand that an actor or actress at the beginning of their career may not be able to do so, especially women — patriarchy. But if you have the opportunity to choose your projects and work with different directors, why don’t you speak out? Why don’t you share what matters to you? That saddens me.” He then turned to the political situation in Spain: “Will Sánchez win the election again? I don’t know. What I do know is that I would have preferred to see a more united left. Youth mobilisations are raising awareness of the importance of voting for the left, because sometimes left-wing voters don’t vote; they abstain. But we have to vote: we are not simply choosing one party over another, but rather how the system will be run,” that is, “whether rights will be advanced democratically and progressively or fascism will be installed in Parliament. This is not about right versus left, but about having self-declared fascists in positions of power. In the Spanish regions where they govern, they take away rights and privatise everything: they will not build, they will destroy. That is a fact. This is why the…