Pro-Palestinian Protesters Interrupt TIFF Opening Night Screening as Audience Boos and Chants ‘Go Home!’

As a long-time film enthusiast and frequent attendee of TIFF, I must say that this year’s opening night was nothing short of dramatic. The disruption by protesters against RBC, the festival sponsor, added an unexpected twist to the evening. While I understand their concerns about RBC’s ties to Israel and the ongoing conflict, it’s unfortunate that they chose to disrupt a peaceful film screening.

The first showing at the Toronto Film Festival was disrupted by demonstrators who support Palestine, as they protested against the Royal Bank of Canada, a financial institution that sponsors the event

Four demonstrators marched into the Princess of Wales Theatre before the evening showing of “Nutcrackers,” a dramedy featuring Ben Stiller and directed by David Gordon Green, as they vocalized their protest against RBC’s alleged involvement in genocide, seemingly pointing to its business dealings with Israel amidst the ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza that has now lasted for 11 months

During a protest, demonstrators displayed signs reading phrases such as “RBC is endangering our future,” which were captured on video by journalist Kyle Buchanan from New York Times. After roughly five minutes, the protesters were escorted out of the theater by security personnel

During Cameron Bailey’s speech as TIFF CEO, disregarding the disturbance, the spectators who were there to watch “Nutcrackers” voiced their disapproval at the protesters with cries of “Leave!” and “Be gone!”

Representatives for TIFF and RBC did not immediately respond to EbMaster‘s request for comment.

Previously, RBC’s association with TIFF has sparked debates on more than one occasion. In the lead-up to the October 7 conflict igniting the Middle East war, a coalition of Canadian filmmakers and Hollywood celebrities petitioned TIFF to sever ties with RBC due to its support for the oil and gas sector. Dubbed “RBC Off Screen,” this campaign enlisted high-profile names like Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams, and Joaquin Phoenix to endorse a public letter expressing environmental and ethical concerns about the festival’s relationship with RBC. Notably, RBC is often referred to as the world’s top financier of fossil fuel projects, according to CBC

In a statement issued by RBC Off Screen, the protest at “Nutcrackers” was described as an expression of unity with individuals working towards resolving the global climate crisis, ending the conflict in Gaza, and upholding Indigenous autonomy

“Elza Kephart, a movie maker at Midnight Kingdom Films and representative for RBC Off Screen, stated that TIFF’s connection with RBC is essentially ‘whitewashing’ criminal activities that jeopardize both human life and the planet,” she said. “As professionals in the film industry, we are unwilling to let our sector be manipulated by those who benefit from the devastation of our environment and communities.”

The 49th edition of TIFF begins at 8 p.m., starting off with the global debut of “Nutcrackers.” Over the following 10 days, a variety of films such as Ron Howard’s survival thriller “Eden,” Marielle Heller’s horror-comedy “Nightbitch” featuring Amy Adams, the animated movie “The Wild Robot,” and John Crowley’s “We Live in Time,” starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, will be shown to Canadian viewers

This year’s festival, taking place from September 5th to the 15th, is optimistic about bouncing back following last year’s disruption caused by actor and writer strikes, which kept prominent celebrities away

During the inaugural screening at the Toronto Film Festival, protesters disrupted the event, accusing the festival’s sponsor, RBC, of financing genocide. However, the audience responded negatively, vocally expressing “leave us alone” and booing the demonstrators
— Kyle Buchanan (@kylebuchanan) September 5, 2024

2024-09-06 02:16

Pro-Palestinian Protesters Interrupt TIFF Opening Night Screening as Audience Boos and Chants ‘Go Home!’

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