Stockholm Film Festival Denies Reports It Disinvited U.S.-Israeli Filmmaker & Says There Was “A Significant Misunderstanding”
deadline.comSweden’s Stockholm International Film Festival has denied reports that it disinvited U.S.-Israeli filmmaker and actress Aleeza Chanowitz as an in-person guest at its ongoing edition, running from November 8 to 19.
Chanowitz was officially invited to the festival earlier this fall with her TV show Chanshi, which screens as a special presentation on Thursday (November 16).
She and the show’s broadcaster Hot released statements over the weekend saying the invite appeared to have been rescinded in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war, following an exchange of emails in which the hospitality department cited a number of reasons why it was better if she did not come.
The screening was always set to go ahead and Chanowitz and Hot did not suggest it had been cancelled in any of their communications but rumors started flying that the festival had also dropped the show from its program. “There has been a misunderstanding regarding the invitation for the creators to attend the festival in person, regarding travel,” the Stockholm Film Festival said in a statement. “We have been planning for a visit for a long time, but when the conflict occurred, we suggested a digital Q&A due to safety, thus delaying the flight booking.
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