Netflix has stated that a collection of at least 19 films called the Palestine Stories is being removed due to expired licenses rather than denying that Palestinian films are being removed from its platform.
“In 2021, we launched this three-year licensed collection of movies. These licenses are now out of date. According to the platform’s statement to Deadline, “we continue to invest in a wide variety of quality films and television shows to meet the needs of our members and celebrate voices from around the world.”
Rights groups and activists, including Freedom Forward, a San Francisco-based human rights organization, have voiced widespread opposition to the move. The group asks Netflix to explain the move in an open letter and petition.
The letter, which was signed by Arab American Action Network, Council on American Islamic Relations, Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, National Network for Arab American Communities, and US Palestinian Community Network, read, “We are deeply concerned by Netflix’s decision to delete at least 19 films by Palestinian filmmakers or about Palestinian stories from your platform last week.”
Deadline was informed by Freedom Forward executive director Sunjeev Bery that the platform should continue to reinstate the titles. I thought there might be licensing issues at play. He stated, “It seems clear that Netflix should be doing everything in its power to maintain global public access to Palestinian films at a time of such significant pain and suffering for Palestinians.”
“It is surprising that Netflix has kept silent about the removal of these films and that it does not appear to have put in the effort necessary to renew the licenses involved,” the author observes.
Netflix stated that it would launch a collection of 32 films “either helmed by Palestinian filmmakers or about Palestinian stories” in its announcement of the Palestine Stories Collection in October 2021. The collection was called “a tribute to the creativity and passion of the Arab film industry” and included the works of directors like Annemarie Jacir, Mai Masri, Mahdi Fleifel, Susan Youssef, May Odeh, and Farah Nabulsi.
The Palestine Stories Collection is currently only available in Pakistan on Netflix, and they are 200 Meters and Ibrahim: A Destiny to Define
