The Cannes Film Festival has kicked off with a bang, but it's not just the movies that are making headlines. Paul Laverty, a member of the main competition jury, took a swipe at Hollywood for blacklisting actors who oppose Israel's war in Gaza.
Laverty, a noted screenwriter, made his comments at the end of a press conference, where he praised the festival's official poster featuring Susan Sarandon from the cult classic Thelma and Louise.
He then expressed his solidarity with Sarandon, Javier Bardem, and Mark Ruffalo, who have been blacklisted for their views on the conflict. 'Shame on Hollywood people who do that,' he said, adding that he hoped the festival wouldn't be bombed due to the poster.
Laverty also made a passionate plea for filmmakers not to shy away from politics, quoting Shakespeare's King Lear.
The Cannes Film Festival will run from May 12 to May 23, with South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook as president of the jury.
