Cinema for Gaza auction raises more than $316,000 for relief efforts

Annie Lennox, Jonathan Glazer, Tilda Swinton, Joaquin Phoenix

Fraser Harrison/Getty Images; John Phillips/Getty Images; Dominic Lipinski/Getty Images; Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

The “Cinema for Gaza” group, launched by a small group of female filmmakers and film journalists, succeeded in raising more than $315,000 to support medical aid for the civilian population in Gaza.

The celebrity auction, organized by Cinema for Gaza and supported by the likes of Tilda Swinton, Annie Lennox, Joaquin Phoenix, Spike Lee and Guillermo del Toro, raised approximately $316,778 (£254,297) for Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP), an organization British. A charitable organization that provides field medical support, from sterile water to cancer medications, to residents of the Gaza Strip. Celebrities donated personal items — from signed movie posters to personal Zoom chats and, in Lennox’s case, the handwritten lyrics to Eurythmics’ hit song “Sweet Dreams” — to be sold to the highest bidder. (The Lennox lyric sheet was the best seller, with one bidder paying $26,222 for the piece of pop history.)

Area of ​​interest Director Jonathan Glazer, who referenced the Gaza conflict in his 2024 Oscar acceptance speech, has offered to donate seven posters from the film, signed by himself, region Composer Mica Levi and producer James Wilson, as well as a selection of posters for his 2014 feature film Under the skinTo raise money for the MAP Charity. Glazer’s speech galvanized Hollywood because it drew praise from those urging a ceasefire amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, and sharp criticism from some pro-Israel and Jewish leaders in Hollywood. His donation to the “Cinema for Gaza” auction raised $13,702.

The online auction began on April 2 and closed just before midnight UK time on Friday, April 12. The final number of the auction may end up slightly higher than the registered number after the official close.

“We thought we might raise maybe £20,000 ($25,000),” says London-based journalist and film critic Hanna Flint, who founded Cinema for Gaza with her film industry friends Hannah Farr, Julia Jackman, Leila Latif and Sophie Monks Kaufman. ). Helen Simons a few months after the start of the war between Israel and Hamas on October 7.

“We are a very diverse group of women, we have women of color, we have Jewish women, Muslim women, Christian women, atheists who have all come together, other than this need to do something tangible to show our support and activism for the humanitarian crisis that is happening (in Gaza),” Flynt says. “We really believe that cinema can be a powerful tool, a political tool to talk about the world, to think about what’s going on and to react to it, and we thought what’s the best way to (bring) people together in our industry to come together (and) unite to try to help people who aren’t doing work? good.”

What started out as a purely British affair – the first group of celebrity donors were all British, from directors Ken Loach, Mike Leigh, Asif Kapadia and Joanna Hogg to actors Brian Cox, Harris Dickinson and Alison Oliver – quickly became global. Ramy Youssef donated tickets to his live show as well as the after-party and a meet-and-greet with comedian W Bad things the actor. Oscar winner Phoenix donated an autograph joker attached. Del Toro contributed six signed books. Lee started with a signed and framed poster of Malcolm.

“The diversity of donors has been amazing, from people involved with Marvel films to cutting-edge British filmmakers, and people from all over the world,” says Farr. “There were moments I couldn’t believe this all happened. Like when Susan Sarandon joined our direct messages. (Sarandon auctioned off a signed piece The Rocky Horror Picture Show T-shirt plus one-on-one Zoom chat).

“I did not expect this level of celebrity,” says Zahra Yassin, director of community events and challenges at Palestinian Medical Aid, which coordinated the auction with Cinema for Gaza. “Honestly, it’s been heartwarming to see how many people not only care, but really want to get involved and do their part to help. Honestly, in terms of the amount raised, it’s been incredible.”

Yassin said that all funds raised will go directly to the emergency response efforts implemented by MAP in Gaza. The organization is the only non-governmental organization currently working in northern Gaza, under miserable and dangerous conditions.

“It has been a very difficult six months, and we worry about our colleagues (in Gaza) every day,” she says. “It is a very dangerous place.”

In the wake of the October 7 attacks on Israel and the beginning of the Israeli military campaign in Gaza, Flynt says, she noticed, within the film community, a “fear of speaking out” criticizing the Gaza bombing or showing solidarity with the Palestinians. the people. “But when people saw these people: Tilda Swinton, Brian Cox, Ramy Youssef, suddenly it was okay,” she says. “Sometimes you need that kind of collective voice to help people feel brave and say: ‘I want to stand up and help.’”

Farr says the response to the auction has been “very positive” with only a few online snipings. “The kind of comments you would get if you were posting about this issue in any context,” she says. “And I get a lot of emails from journalists who have been on my press list for years just saying how great it is and how happy everyone is.”

“We’re not trying to get into the political side of this, about who started the war and who’s wrong,” Flint adds. “It has to do with the fact that there is infrastructure (in Gaza) that has been destroyed. Health care is needed. She’s trying to save people’s lives. I think this cannot be criticized.

Cinema for Gaza will continue its fundraising efforts. They will be selling “Cinema for Gaza” T-shirts designed by Henry James Garrett, and over the weekend, they will be raffling off donated celebrity items that were not included in the original auction. Anyone who donates £10 (or more) to MAP will have a chance to win the ‘Cinema for Gaza Competition’ which includes: Special edition posters for You weren’t really here Signed by Lynne Ramsay, Phoenix and Jim Wilson. Signed limited edition Four lions Poster by Kayvan Novak; And a one-on-one Zoom session with Ramsay.