The Cannes Film Festival opens Tuesday amid growing outrage over its silence on Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

In a powerful act of solidarity, more than 380 prominent filmmakers, actors, and producers have signed an open letter urging the festival and the wider film industry to speak out. “We cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza,” the signatories declared. The letter was coordinated by several pro-Palestinian activist groups and published in Libération and Variety.

Among those who signed are Schindler’s List actor Ralph Fiennes, Hollywood veterans Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon, and Cannes-winning directors Pedro Almodóvar, Ruben Östlund, Mike Leigh, and Costa-Gavras. They expressed deep shame over what they described as the industry’s “passivity” in the face of Israel’s crimes.

Their statement highlighted the killing of Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, 25, who died with ten members of her family in an Israeli airstrike on their home in northern Gaza in April. Hassouna is featured in Sepideh Farsi’s documentary Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk, which is scheduled to screen Thursday in the ACID section of the festival.

The film, described by Farsi as “a window into the ongoing massacre of the Palestinians,” now stands as a powerful reminder of the human stories being silenced  and a challenge to Cannes to choose conscience over complicity.