Netflix has denied reports of Palestinian films being removed from its platform, saying the films were removed because the license for a collection of 19 films called “Palestine Stories” had expired.
According to Netflix, the collection was launched in 2021 with a three-year license and now that license has expired.
A Netflix spokesperson told the Deadline website that we always invest in quality movies and TV shows to keep people interested around the world in mind.
However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations and activists, including the San Francisco-based Freedom Forward.
The organization has launched an open letter and petition against Netflix’s move.
“We are deeply concerned about Netflix’s removal of 19 Palestinian films or films based on Palestinian stories from its platform,” the letter said.
The letter was signed by several major organizations, including the Arab American Action Network, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and the US Palestinian Community Network.
Sanjeev Berry, executive director of Freedom Forward, told Deadline that he suspected there might be a licensing issue.
But he says it’s time for Netflix to do everything it can to maintain public access to Palestinian films.
Netflix announced the Palestine Stories Collection in 2021, which included 32 films either made by Palestinian directors or based on Palestinian stories.
The collection was billed as a tribute to the creativity of the Arab film industry.
Currently, only two films are available in the Pakistani Netflix version, 200 Meters and Ibrahim: A Fate to Define.
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