Jennifer Lawrence calls Gaza Situation ‘no less than a genocide’
Oscar-winning actor Jennifer Lawrence used her platform at the San Sebastián Film Festival on Friday to deliver one of her most outspoken political statements yet, calling the situation in Gaza “no less than a genocide” and urging global attention to the suffering of Palestinians.
“What is happening in Palestine is nothing less than genocide,” Lawrence said during a press conference ahead of the premiere of her new film Die My Love. “It’s unacceptable. I’m terrified, and it’s mortifying. I’m terrified for my children, for all of our children.”
Lawrence, who was in Spain to promote the film and receive the prestigious Donostia Award, addressed questions about the war in Gaza despite attempts by festival moderators to steer the conversation back to cinema. Speaking candidly, she lamented the state of political discourse and expressed fears about the world her children will grow up in.
“It makes me so sad that the current disrespect and discourse will be the status quo for kids growing up now,” she said. “The 18-year-olds voting today will think it’s normal that politics has no integrity, that politicians lie, that there is no empathy. And we all need to remember: if you ignore what’s happening on one side of the world, it won’t be long until it’s happening on your side too.”
Lawrence also reflected on the pressures artists face when speaking about global crises, emphasizing that the responsibility for change lies with political leaders.
“I wish there was something I could say or do to fix this complex and disgraceful situation. It breaks my heart,” she said. “But our fear in speaking too much is that our words will just be used to add more fire and rhetoric. People need to stay focused on who is responsible, on what they can do, and on when they need to show up and vote, not blame artists who are just trying to express freedom of art and speech.”
She also warned that freedoms themselves are under threat. “America’s freedom of speech and expression is under attack,” Lawrence noted. “That makes film festivals even more sacred, a place where we can see each other’s stories, connect, and learn that we are all connected and deserve empathy and freedom.”
Lawrence’s Die My Love, which premiered to acclaim at Cannes earlier this year, screens in San Sebastián Friday night.
The film, which follows a new mother’s struggle with deteriorating mental health, earned a six-minute standing ovation in Cannes and was acquired by Mubi for $24 million.
