Cairo Film Festival excluded Israeli films

Last week Egypt hosted the Cairo International Film Festival, and a smattering of Hollywood stars attended like Richard Gere and Juliette Binoche.

Were they aware that the festival was engaging in blacklisting?

From Al Masry al-Youm:

Organizer of the Cairo International Film Festival, Ezzat Abu Auf has said that he will not allow Israel to participate.

"I will not allow Israel to intrude into the festival even if I have to sleep on the doorstep to keep them out," Abu Auf told reporters on Thursday evening,

In Arabic, he said it a little stronger: "I will not allow this to happen [any Israeli films at the festival] as long as I live."

It is a shame that this was not publicized in the English-language media before the festival. It would have been interesting to ask the stars whether they felt it was appropriate for them to support an event where Israelis are banned.