Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Netflix silently removed more than 19 Palestinian films from its streaming library last week, including almost all titles under the “Palestinian Stories” collection, sparking an outcry on social media. The platform’s move has drawn criticism from viewers and activists, who argue that the removal stifles Palestinian representation at a critical time.
The Palestinian Stories collection, launched by Netflix in October 2021, originally featured 32 films. The collection highlighted works by Palestinian directors or those depicting Palestinian narratives, aiming to spotlight Palestinian voices in global cinema.
According to Middle Eastern publication BroadcastPro, a coalition of over 35 peace and human rights organizations issued a letter to Netflix on October 25, demanding the reinstatement of the films. The coalition’s letter voiced deep concern, claiming that Netflix’s decision risks further marginalizing Palestinian perspectives amid escalating violence in Gaza.
“We are deeply concerned that Netflix’s deletion of nearly its entire library of Palestinian films will further marginalize Palestinian voices at a time when over two million Palestinians in Gaza are being subjected to genocide by the Israeli military,” the letter stated, emphasizing that this move perpetuates a history of censorship against Palestinian narratives in Western media.
However, Netflix denies deleting Palestinian films off its platform and has instead said that a collection of at least 19 films called the Palestine Stories is being removed due to expiring licences.
“We launched this licensed collection of films in 2021 for three years. Those licenses have now expired. As always, we continue to invest in a wide variety of quality films and TV shows to meet our members’ needs and celebrate voices from around the world,” as reported by Deadline on October 26.
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However, Netflix moves has already prompted widespread criticism from several human rights including San Francisco-based human rights organization Freedom Forward.
“At a time of such significant pain and suffering for Palestinians, it seems clear that Netflix should be doing everything in its power to maintain global public access to Palestinian films,” said Sunjeev Bery, executive director of Freedom Forward, as reported by Deadline. He criticized Netflix’s silence on the issue and questioned why the platform did not make more effort to renew the licenses.
Remaining Film from Palestinian Stories Collection
The Palestinian Stories collection originally showcased films by acclaimed directors such as Annemarie Jacir, Mai Masri, Mahdi Fleifel, Susan Youssef, May Odeh, and Farah Nabulsi. Launched in 2021, this collection was lauded as a tribute to the creativity and resilience of Palestinian filmmakers and the broader Arab film industry.
As of Friday, October 25, Palestinian Stories remains accessible in several country, but with only two titles still available: 200 Meters (2022), a fictional film by Palestinian director Ameen Nayfeh, and Ibrahim: A Fate to Define (2019), a documentary about Ibrahim Al Abed, a member of the Abu Nidal Organization.
For many, Netflix removal of these Palestinian films represents a loss for both global audiences and advocates of Palestinian narratives, raising questions about the role of digital media platforms in preserving diverse cultural expressions amid heightened political conflicts.
(Raidi/Agung)
