The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has issued an apology after facing widespread criticism for its initial response to the detention of Palestinian Oscar-winning director Hamdan Ballal. The controversy erupted when the Academy released a statement on Wednesday that failed to name Ballal or his film, No Other Land, which won Best Documentary at the 97th Academy Awards earlier this month.
Ballal was attacked by Israeli settlers earlier this week before being detained by the Israeli military. His detention sparked outrage, particularly within Hollywood, where nearly 700 Academy members, including high-profile actors such as Mark Ruffalo, Javier Bardem, Olivia Colman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Penélope Cruz, signed a letter condemning the Academy’s lack of direct acknowledgment.
The letter, co-signed by directors Jonathan Glazer and Ava DuVernay, criticised the Academy for failing to defend a filmmaker they had honoured just weeks prior. It highlighted the significance of winning an Oscar, especially for a documentary like No Other Land, which triumphed without the expensive campaigning that often accompanies award-winning films.
“The targeting of Ballal is not just an attack on one filmmaker — it is an attack on all those who dare to bear witness and tell inconvenient truths,” the letter stated.
Responding to the backlash, the Academy released a revised statement on Friday, explicitly naming Ballal and apologising for its initial oversight. “We regret that we failed to directly acknowledge Mr. Ballal and the film by name,” the statement read. “We sincerely apologise to Mr. Ballal and all artists who felt unsupported by our previous statement and want to make it clear that the Academy condemns violence of this kind anywhere in the world.”
Ballal was eventually released after being taken into custody. The Israeli Defense Forces denied claims that he was wrongfully detained, stating that he and others were held on suspicion of throwing rocks at security forces.
No Other Land follows the struggle over Masafer Yatta, a community of Palestinian villages facing displacement. The film’s victory at the Oscars has drawn global attention to the issue, further intensifying the debate surrounding Ballal’s treatment.
