Tribeca Film Festival has responded after an offensive Palestine joke made by The Wedding Entertainer star Elon Gold at the movie’s Thursday premiere.
In a statement, a festival spokesperson condemned the “offensive and unacceptable” joke Gold made to a red carpet influencer about being “raped by two Israeli dogs” while filming there, making light of the systemic torture and rape of Palestinians in Israeli prisons.
“The Tribeca Festival is aware of the concerns raised regarding a clip circulating on social media and unequivocally condemns the offensive and unacceptable remarks made by Elon Gold and Lizzy Savetsky at the premiere of The Wedding Entertainer (The Tale of Moishe Badhan),” the statement reads.
“Sexual violence and human suffering should never be mocked or minimized,” Tribeca added. “The comments do not reflect the Tribeca Festival’s values, and we regret the hurt and offense they have caused. We have not been able to reach the filmmakers.”
While speaking to Savetsky on Thursday’s red carpet of the Village East Cinema, Gold took pride in the Gidi Dar-helmed film shooting in Israel, while making a joke about the reported rape of Palestinians in Israeli prisons, including by dogs.
Gold said in the widely circulated clip, “It’s a really big deal, and for a film made in Israel, that’s pretty damn cool. I was only raped by two Israeli dogs.”
“I thought they only raped Palestinians,” quipped Savetsky, to which Gold responded, “No, I got also a dog.”
Following the coordinated Hamas attacks on Israel, which killed 1,200 people and took more than 250 hostages, investigators and human rights organizations have reported systemic torture and rape against Palestinians in Israeli prisons, in some cases by dogs. Meanwhile the death toll of Israel’s ensuing campaign in Gaza has since surpassed 75,000.
