“The Zone of Interest” director Jonathan Glazer has donated signed posters to the Cinema for Gaza auction, which has collected gifts from major names in the U.K. entertainment industry to raise money for Medical Aid for Palestinians.
Before the fundraiser officially began on Tuesday, Glazer and “Zone of Interest” producer James Wilson donated seven “Zone of Interest” posters and a selection of posters from his 2014 film “Under the Skin.” The posters will be signed by Glazer, Wilson and composer Mica Levi, who scored both films. The gift is one of the most in-demand items in the auction, with a current bid of £2,750 ($3,450). The auction has currently raised over £42,000 ($52,800).
Among the gifts announced with the auction were Tilda Swinton reading a bedtime story over Zoom, Josh O’Connor teaching a porridge masterclass and tickets to attend a Ramy Youssef stand-up show and afterparty. More recent additions include a signed “Game of Thrones” DVD from Maisie Williams; a signed “All of Us Strangers” poster from director Andrew Haigh; a “Supernova” poster signed by Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci and Harry Macqueen; a signed “Romancing Mr. Bridgerton” novel with a personalized note from Nicola Coughlan; and an hour over Zoom with Louis Theroux.
Glazer’s donation comes after the backlash to his speech at the Oscars on March 10, where his Holocaust drama “The Zone of Interest” won best international feature. In his speech, Glazer spoke about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, saying that his film “shows where dehumanization leads at its worst. It shaped all of our past and present. Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people. Whether the victims of Oct. 7 in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims of this dehumanization — how do we resist?”
The speech received a divided reaction, with over 1,000 Jewish creatives and execs denouncing it for helping to fuel “growing anti-Jewish hatred around the world,” and others like director Ken Loach coming to his defense by calling his statement “brave” and “hugely valuable.” Glazer has yet to publicly address the backlash to the speech, but his donation to Cinema for Gaza suggests he stands by his words.
The Cinema for Gaza auction closes on April 12.
