Filmmaker Asif Kapadia issued an apology for a series of X posts that were accused of being antisemitic. The posts already led to the Grierson Trust rescinding its offer of patronage to the “Amy” and “Senna” director.
“I’m mortified by the hurt and offense that some of my retweets have caused. I now understand that they will be seen by many as antisemitic, or in the case of one even justifying violence. That was not my intention,” Kapadia said in a statement, according to multiple media reports. “Like many, I feel passionate about the fate of the Palestinian and Lebanese people and the suffering they have endured over the years, but I am equally passionate about all anti-racism and condemn all forms of antisemitism. I unequivocally apologize for these ill-judged reposts which were posted in haste with a lack of due consideration.”
Kapadia did not respond to TheWrap’s request for comment.
On Wednesday, Kapadia was appointed to be a patron of the Grierson Trust charity, which celebrates the best of documentary and factual filmmaking. He received the honor alongside Dorothy Byrne and Louis Theroux. But shortly after the initial announcement, the Trust rescinded its offer after the series of posts from Kapadia came to light.
“When we made the decision to appoint Mr. Kapadia, the board was not aware of these posts, some of which appear to be no longer available and we are sorry that our due diligence was not thorough enough,” the Trust said in a statement. “The Grierson Trust is deeply committed to promoting both freedom of speech and diversity and inclusion in the documentary industry. Whilst we accept and support that everyone has a legitimate right to express their views on controversial issues, this cannot justify racist statements or behavior. As we have stressed in the past and will continue to uphold, the Trust has a zero tolerance approach to racism of all kinds.”
Though Kapadia has since deleted his X account, screenshots have been taken of the offensive posts in question. One post the director retweeted said, “Those who colonized the whole world are trying to convince us that resistance to colonialism is terrorism.” Another apparent repost features an image from “Schindler’s List,” specifically Nazi Amon Goeth (Ralph Fiennes) shooting prisoners in a concentration camp. The caption reads, “Do you remember this scene in ‘Schindler’s List’? The same thing is happening in real time. They are Nazis.”
Leo Pearlman, managing partner at Fulwell 73, also shared screenshots of posts made by Kapadia on his LinkedIn profile. In addition to the “Schindler’s List” post, he also shared a political cartoon that had been reposted by Kapadia that depicts Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu eating what appears to be human flesh as dead children are littered around him. Still, another repost from Kapadia shows a person in a green headband, which resembles the ones worn by Hamas combatants. “See these eyes and remember. In the same position you would do the same,” the post reads.
In his post, Pearlman pointed to an incident that happened last year in which an unnamed individual was banned from the Grierson Trust Awards for antisemitic behavior. “So why then today did The Grierson Trust bestow the honour of patronage on an individual who has stated far worse, far more often, far wider and with a level of zeal matched only by that shown on Oct. 7 via the Hamas bodycam footage so many of his social media followers proudly celebrate?” Pearlman wrote.
He then went on write that the organization “shouldn’t reward one of the most outspoken antisemites in our industry, with a position previously reserved for the great and the good.”
Variety was the first to report this story.
Leave a Reply