Picturehouse Cinemas has reversed its decision to pull out of four scheduled screenings of films for the Israeli “Seret Film Festival”, following assistance by UK Lawyers for Israel.

An Israeli Love Story (Seret International Film Festival)

Anti-Israel activists had disrupted a screening at the Komedia cinema in Brighton on 13 May 2018.  Five women waving Palestinian flags had demonstrated outside the Brighton cinema,  later interrupting Dan Wolman’s An Israeli Love Story, which was being screened as part of the Seret International Film Festival.  The protesters were reported to have shouted anti-Israel slogans including “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” as well as accusing filmgoers of being “child killers”.  They were escorted from the screening, although no arrests were made.

Picturehouse Cinemas, which operates the Komedia cinema, said that it was cancelling the four remaining screenings  amid “safety concerns” and offered refunds to customers.   One more screening was to take place in Brighton, two at the Picturehouse  in Central London and one in Crouch End.

UKLFI was contacted, on behalf of the organisers of the Israeli Film festival.  As a result of our assistance the decision to cancel the screening was overruled.

The Jewish Chronicle reported the story of the films being cancelled HERE and of the films being re-instated HERE.   (Both stories dated 15 May 2015).