Almodóvar Calls for Spain to Sever Ties with Israel Over  Gaza “Genocide”

Renowned Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar, beloved in Israel for films like All About My Mother, Talk to Her, and Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, has sparked controversy by urging Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez to cut all diplomatic and commercial ties with Israel in protest of what he described as “genocide” against the Palestinian people in Gaza, as reported by Walla.

In a video posted today on the Instagram account of his production company, El Deseo, accompanied by the hashtag #stopgenocide, Almodóvar stated, “I ask our government to sever diplomatic and commercial relations with the State of Israel in protest of the genocide it is committing against the Palestinian people in full view of the world.” The acclaimed director, one of Spain’s most celebrated cinematic voices, also called on Sánchez to persuade other European nations to join the boycott and urged citizens to film themselves in support, using the hashtag #artistasconpalestina.

Earlier this year, Almodóvar joined hundreds of film and cultural figures, including Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, and Mark Ruffalo, in signing a letter published in France’s *Libération*, demanding that the “atrocities in Gaza” not be silenced.

Almodóvar’s stance aligns with a wave of recent anti-Israel protests in the film industry. Over 1,000 Italian and international film professionals called on the Venice Film Festival, which opened today, to take a clear stand on the issue. A group called “Venice for Palestine” demanded the festival rescind invitations to Israeli actress Gal Gadot and Gerard Butler, stars of Julian Schnabel’s *The Hand of Dante*, due to their public support for Israel. It later emerged that neither actor had confirmed attendance, irrespective of the petition.

This morning, dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Venice Film Festival’s red carpet, holding signs reading “Free Palestine. Stop the Genocide” and chanting slogans including “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” According to The Hollywood Reporter, one protester in Italian called on organizers of a nearby press conference to address the Gaza conflict.

Almodóvar’s remarks risk straining his relationship with Israeli audiences, where his films have long been cherished, and highlight the growing intersection of cinema and political activism amid the ongoing war in Gaza.