Mark Ruffalo and Joaquin Phoenix Among 4,000 Signatories of Film Workers for Palestine Boycott Pledge

Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo are among more than 4,000 film industry professionals who signed the Film Workers for Palestine pledge in September 2025, committing to refuse collaboration with Israeli film institutions they say are implicated in genocide and apartheid against the Palestinian people.

The open letter, published by the group in September 2025, has since drawn thousands more supporters and continues to spark debate in Hollywood and beyond about cinema's role in international conflicts.

Pledge Targets Institutional Complicity in Gaza Crisis

The document was made public on 8 September 2025 with the original list of 1,200 signatories. It grew rapidly, surpassed 3,900 signors within days and reached more than 4,000 as further names including Joaquin Phoenix joined. Signatories pledge not to screen films, appear at festivals or work with Israeli broadcasters, cinemas and production companies deemed complicit.

The pledge reads in part: 'In this urgent moment of crisis, where many of our governments are enabling the carnage in Gaza, we must do everything we can to address complicity in that unrelenting horror.' It references the International Court of Justice finding of a plausible risk of genocide in Gaza, alongside Israel's occupation and apartheid which it describes as unlawful.

Organisers, inspired by past cultural boycotts against apartheid South Africa, say they are answering direct calls from Palestinian filmmakers to end silence and dehumanisation. Complicity is defined to include institutions that whitewash or justify actions or partner with the government involved. The group stresses the action targets organisations, not individuals, and aligns with guidelines from Palestinian civil society.

High-Profile Names Fuel Rapid Growth of Film Workers for Palestine Boycott Pledge

Mark Ruffalo was among early signatories, alongside Olivia Colman, Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Ayo Edebiri and Riz Ahmed. Directors including Yorgos Lanthimos, Ava DuVernay and Boots Riley also backed the call from the outset. Joaquin Phoenix added his name in the days that followed, as did Emma Stone, Rooney Mara and Nicola Coughlan.

The milestone of more than 4,000 signatories was noted across social media, with one Instagram post highlighting the involvement of Ruffalo and Phoenix specifically among the thousands. British actors such as Josh O'Connor and Cynthia Nixon featured too, along with a wide range of award winners spanning Oscars, Baftas and Emmys.

The list has continued to lengthen, with organisers reporting more than 8,000 having signed the pledge to date. The breadth of support, from Hollywood A-listers to European arthouse figures, has made the Film Workers for Palestine boycott pledge one of the most prominent collective actions in the industry since the conflict escalated.

Israeli Producers Hit Back at Boycott Call

The Israeli Film and TV Producers Association responded sharply, calling the pledge profoundly misguided. It argued that Israeli creators have long served as voices for complexity in the conflict, including Palestinian narratives and criticism of state policies, through thousands of films and series.

Targeting them, the group said, undermines dialogue and peace efforts. Some industry figures have echoed concerns that the move risks censorship and harm to collaborative storytelling. Others among the signatories have framed their support as a moral imperative in the face of what they see as governmental complicity abroad.

As the Film Workers for Palestine boycott pledge gathers further momentum into 2026, it illustrates the deepening fault lines within global film circles over responses to the situation in Gaza.