Sweden's venues decline to host Jewish International Film Festival

• Malmö cancels Jewish International Film Festival due to safety concerns.
• Organizers could not secure a venue for the event.

A planned Jewish International Film Festival (JIFF) in Malmö, Sweden, has been canceled after organizers were unable to secure a venue due to safety concerns.

The festival, intended to showcase new Jewish films, was part of events celebrating the Jewish minority’s 250th anniversary in Sweden.

Organizers approached multiple venues, including major cinema chains and non-profit theaters. However, both commercial movie theatre owners and the Panora cinema declined to host the festival.

“A couple of them referred specifically to security reasons. There's concern that something might happen,” said Ola Tedin, one of the festival organizers. The decision has sparked shock and frustration among organizers and Swedish authorities.

“At first, I was incredibly angry. I actually had a hard time accepting it,” said Sofia Nerbrand, another organizer. “Now it has sunk in a little, but it's still completely outrageous. I think it's incredibly tragic that it has come to this.”

- Cinemas explain their decisions -

Filmstaden, a major Swedish cinema chain, confirmed it would not provide its venues, citing the safety of staff.

“It was not an easy decision, but we prioritise the safety of our staff,” wrote Irene Hernberg, PR manager at Filmstaden Norden.
Panora cited workload issues, saying it had already decided not to host new festivals or larger events. Even Folkets Hus, a local theater previously open to film screenings, declined participation over security concerns.

- A pattern of security concerns -

Security concerns for minority communities are not new in Malmö, a city with a history of unrest and anti-'Israel' demonstrations. The city’s Jewish community has significantly shrunk over the years due to safety worries. In 2009, a soccer match involving an 'Israeli' team had to be played in an empty, closed-off stadium.