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The Academy apologized after it failed to mention No Other Land director Hamdan Ballal by name in its initial statements condemning the "harming or suppressing [of] artists for their work or their viewpoints." The first statement was signed by Academy CEO Bill Kramer and president Janet Yang.
It was released on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, two days after Hamdan Balal was reportedly arrested and detained by Israeli authorities on Monday, March 24, 2025, after an alleged attack at his home.
"In these instances, it is important to note that the Academy represents close to 11,000 global members with many unique viewpoints," it reads in part.
Failing to name the No Other Land director in the statement led to criticism from Academy members, per Variety. So, on Friday, March 28, 2025, the Academy issued a follow-up letter, apologizing for not mentioning the Hamdan Ballal by name.
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"On Wednesday, we sent a letter in response to reports of violence against Oscar winner Hamdan Ballal, co-director of No Other Land, connected to his artistic expression. We regret that we failed to directly acknowledge Mr. Ballal and the film by name."
In the Academy's latest statement, which is also signed by Kramer and Yang, they "sincerely apologize[d]" to Ballal and all the other artists who felt that they were unsupported by their previous statement.
"...and want to make it clear that the Academy condemns violence of this kind anywhere in the world. Be abhor the suppression of free speech under any circumstances," it further reads.
No Other Land director Hamdan Ballal has since been released after he was reportedly taken by Israeli authorities
The Academy's initial statement on March 26, 2025, came a day after Hamdan Ballal was released after being detained by Israeli authorities and two days after reports of the arrest were released. On Tuesday, March 25, the day after the reported attack, Ballal recalled the incident on a call to the outlet while he was at a hospital in Hebron in the West Bank.
"I'm afraid, really, I'm afraid. I feel, when they attack me, I will lose my life," he said.
According to the director, he was allegedly beaten by Jewish settlers while he was at home located just outside the village of Susiya on Monday. He claimed that settlers arrived in the village and started throwing stones and harassing the residents. That said, the Monday incident was reportedly not the first time it happened.
Hamdan Ballal claimed that the same thing has been happening frequently since he won the Oscar for No Other Land earlier in March. Recalling the incident, he said that he was filming the settlers and trying to keep them from coming to his house, which he claimed started the attack.
"It was a hard, hard attack, You know, I feel I will die, because this attack was so hard, I bleed from everywhere," he aded.
Hamdan Ballal and a few others were reportedly detained overnight but were ultimately released "on conditions that include not contacting other people involved and self-bail," per ABC News.
Hamdan Ballal's No Other Land, which he co-directed with Basel Adar, Yuval Abraham, and Rachel Szor, won the Academy's Best Documentary Feature in 2025.
