Renowned Kashmir-based novelist Mirza Waheed has distanced himself from the screening of the film adaptation of his critically acclaimed novel The Collaborator at the Tamuz Shomron Film Festival (TSFF) in the Israeli settlement of Ariel, located in the occupied West Bank.
This decision comes after Waheed signed a global cultural boycott pledge, joining over 5,000 writers and publishers in opposing Israeli cultural institutions that, according to him, contribute to the “overwhelming oppression of Palestinians.”
Mirza has compared this cultural boycott to the historic movement against apartheid South Africa, emphasizing that it aims to condemn Israeli cultural organisations for their complicity in the ongoing injustices faced by Palestinians.
He expressed his disapproval of the film’s inclusion at TSFF, which is supported by the Shomron Cinema Fund, known for its ties to the settler movement. The fund, criticized as the “settler film fund,” has been boycotted by several prominent Israeli filmmakers and actors who oppose its role in “whitewashing the occupation.”
In a statement, Waheed described the screening of the film at the festival, which is held in an illegal settlement, as deeply wrong.
“I cannot allow my work to be associated with any platform that normalizes injustice or undermines Palestinian rights,” he said, drawing attention to the ongoing violence and repression in the region, which some experts have characterized as genocidal.
Waheed’s stance was influenced by his own experiences in Palestine during the Palestine Festival of Literature, where he witnessed the systemic apartheid that Palestinians endure.
“I saw racism on an industrial scale,” he remarked, highlighting the severe disparities in land, water, housing, and movement imposed by the Israeli occupation.
The novelist clarified that he had no role in the decision to include his film in the TSFF lineup, expressing disappointment at the lack of consultation.
While acknowledging he cannot control the actions of the film’s producers, he made it clear that he would not participate in any promotional activities unless the film is withdrawn from the festival.
Mirza also addressed critiques of cultural boycotts, framing them as acts of solidarity against oppressive systems rather than exclusion.
“Boycotts are statements of intent not to cooperate with systems of oppression and cruelty,” he explained, reiterating that they represent solidarity with the Palestinian cause.
His decision aligns with international criticism of Israeli settlement activities, which the International Court of Justice has deemed illegal under international law.