Israel’s Oscar entry ‘Tell Me Everything’ dropped from Swiss festival after boycott campaign
Everybody’s Perfect queer film festival cancelled two planned screenings after receiving messages warning of a boycott
Israel’s Oscar entry Tell Me Everything has been removed from a Swiss queer film festival following pressure from pro-Palestinian groups calling for a boycott over the film’s connection to Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
The Geneva-based Everybody’s Perfect queer film festival had selected Moshe Rosenthal’s Tell Me Everything for its 2026 programme, but cancelled two planned screenings after receiving messages warning of a boycott. The pressure came from a collective of groups including Palestine, Filmer C’est Exister, the Student Coordination for Palestine at the University of Geneva, BDS Geneva, CRAQ and Marad.
The decision comes as cultural institutions and artists linked to Israel face increasing pressure from Palestinian solidarity movements seeking to challenge what they describe as the normalisation of Israeli cultural representation while Palestinians face devastating conditions in Gaza. The boycott campaign against Tell Me Everything reflects a wider push to hold cultural institutions accountable for their associations with Israel.
Tell Me Everything, which premiered at Sundance earlier this year, follows 12-year-old Boaz as he discovers a secret about his father during the HIV/AIDS crisis of the 1980s. The film was recently selected as Israel’s submission for the Best International Feature category at the 2027 Academy Awards and reportedly received a record number of nominations at Israel’s Ophir Awards.
After receiving the boycott threat, the festival asked Rosenthal and the film’s producers to clarify their positions on the Israeli government and the war in Palestine. Rosenthal and Green Productions responded that they do not represent the Israeli government and do not finance or produce films supporting its current policies.
The response did not stop the festival from removing the film. Artistic director Sylvie Cachin said the cancellation was intended to avoid controversy immediately before the festival opened, while communications lead Charlotte Spector acknowledged that the boycott threat had created significant pressure.
The cancellation has prompted debate over whether Israeli artists and cultural works should be treated separately from the state, particularly as international calls for boycotts of Israeli institutions and cultural representation continue. Supporters of the campaign argue that cultural platforms can contribute to the normalisation of Israel internationally, and that refusing such platforms is a form of nonviolent pressure in support of Palestinian rights.
The controversy also highlights the role of Palestine-focused cultural organisations in challenging the presence of Israeli films at international festivals. Palestine, Filmer C’est Exister is itself a Geneva-based film festival, while BDS Geneva and student organisers have been involved in broader campaigns supporting Palestinian rights.
Everybody’s Perfect describes itself as a queer film festival committed to human rights, diversity, inclusion and progressive cultural expression. Its stated mission includes defending human rights and using cinema to create spaces for social reflection and representation.
For supporters of the boycott, the removal of Tell Me Everything represents a small but significant example of cultural pressure over Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. The film’s removal does not end the wider debate over Israeli cinema, but it demonstrates how Palestinian solidarity campaigns are increasingly challenging the country’s cultural presence on international platforms.
