Dear Mr. Leigh,
I hope this letter finds you well. I write to you not only as an admirer of your substantial contributions to cinema but also as someone deeply dismayed by your recent resignation as a patron of London’s Phoenix Cinema.
Your decision to protest the venue’s hosting of the Israeli international Seret film festival, particularly the screening of Supernova: The Music Festival Massacre, is deeply concerning.
This film portrays the tragically horrific events of October 7th, when Hamas terrorists carried out unspeakable atrocities in Southern Israel, including rape, decapitation, murder, and pillaging.
Preventing the world from knowing what really happened
By stepping away from the Phoenix Cinema, you appear to be rejecting a narrative that seeks to shed light on these brutal acts and honor the victims. These young people did nothing more harmful than attend a music festival, and by doing so, suffered death, mutilation, kidnap and – for those who survived – horrific psychological scarring for life.
And yet, you seem to want to prevent the world from knowing what really happened?
Such a stance seems antithetical to the values of empathy and truth that your work has always championed. Is this the action of a super-talented director who stood up for every victim wherever he could and expressed this in his work?
Why are these victims different? Is it because – in the words of David Baddiel – Jews don’t count?
Interestingly, we might share a familial connection, as both our family names are Lieberman—yours having been changed to Leigh by your parents in 1939.
Moreover, your late mother, Phyllis Leigh, was a woman of immense moral character and a committed Zionist. She served as the chairwoman of the Prestwich branch of the Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) for many years. I knew her well, as she was a patient of mine in my GP practice in Prestwich, Manchester.
Phyllis Leigh was a noble woman who dedicated years of her life to the Zionist cause, a cause you now appear to not just vehemently oppose, but hate with such passion that your judgment is clouded.
It deeply pains me to think that Phyllis, a woman of such integrity and commitment to her people, would be so distressed to see what has become of her beloved son.
Your friendship with Jeremy Corbyn, a figure even the Labour Party has rejected due to his refusal to accept criticism over antisemitism in his party, further highlights this disconcerting alignment. The transformation from the values upheld by your mother to your current stance is bewildering and tragic.
There is no greater anguish than seeing someone turn against their own people. This is true of every race and creed and is true of Jews too.
The internalized animosity you display to Israel, the homeland of your own people (like it or not, you are a Jew) is profoundly troubling, particularly in the context of the horrors perpetrated on October 7.
These events deserve acknowledgment, and the stories of the victims deserve to be told. Boycotting such narratives only serves to obscure the truth and perpetuate ignorance.
I urge you to reconsider your position and reflect on the values your mother championed. Use your influential voice in the world of cinema to foster understanding and dialogue rather than division. Art should bridge gaps and promote empathy, not fuel further hatred.
Thank you for your time and consideration. I hope this letter prompts reflection and a reevaluation of your stance.
The writer is a rabbi and physician living in Ramat Poleg, Netanya, and cofounder of Techelet-Inspiring Judaism.