Javier Bardem talks about Gaza at the San Sebastian Film Festival

Palestinian flags line the red carpet at the San Sebastian Film Festival. Demonstrators took to the streets as the city celebrates Spain's most prestigious film festival, protesting the more than 40,000 men, women and children killed in Gaza since the war with Israel began, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry. Among those taking a pro-Gaza stand at the film event on the Spanish coast was Spain's national treasure Javier Bardem, who was in San Sebastian to receive the Donostia Prize.

During the press conference, he took the opportunity to call for a ceasefire in Gaza and denounce the actions of the Israeli government of Benjamin Netanyahu, which has continued air strikes in Gaza following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, in which more than 1,200 Israelis were murdered.

“I welcome you [the award] with great joy but I am not in the mood to celebrate,” a translation of Bardem's statement in the Spanish press said. “What happened in Gaza is unacceptable, dehumanizing.”

Bardem said he believes the Israeli government is “the most radical government” the country has ever seen and has committed war crimes in Gaza. “The heinous and reprehensible attacks by Hamas in October do not justify the massive global punishment that the Palestinian people are suffering,” he continued. “I believe that the impunity with which the Israeli government enjoys for its actions in Gaza and the West Bank must change,” he added, imploring the US and UK in particular to reconsider their “unconditional support” for Benjamin Netanyahu.

On San Sebastian’s most famous beach, La Concha, protesters wrote pro-Gaza messages in the sand for everyone along the promenade to read over the weekend.

On Friday night Bardem received his Donostia Award, praising his wife Penélope Cruz. The actor, who has had leading roles in Dune: Part Two, No Country for Old Men — which earned him an Academy Award — and Falling Skyamong the many famous Spanish projects such as Golden eggs AND The Detective and DeathShe received the award from her siblings, Monica and Carlos Bardem.

The 72nd edition of the San Sebastian Film Festival will run until September 28.

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