People protesting the Israel–Hamas war outside the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards could be heard inside throughout the ceremony on Sunday afternoon.
A handful of protesters were outside the tent located on the beach in Santa Monica playing previously recorded chants on a megaphone such as “free Palestine,” “long live Palestine” and “ceasefire now.” The chants continued as awards were presented inside and were also heard during the red carpet arrivals earlier in the day.
Protesters chant “Free, Free Palestine” and “Ceasefire Now” outside the 2024 #SpiritAwards pic.twitter.com/HajqDt1D76
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 25, 2024
Sources told The Hollywood Reporter that the chants were “very audible” inside the tent where the ceremony was taking place. They could also be heard on the livestream of the event on Film Independent and IMDB’s YouTube channels. At one point, while actor and comedian Jim Gaffigan was presenting, he appeared to be struggling to talk over the chants.
A bus also appeared to be intentionally put in front of the protesters outside in an attempt to block some of the sounds, according to a source.
Later during the ceremony, host Aidy Bryant acknowledged the protests, saying, “We are at the beach and people are practicing their freedom of speech.” Later, loud music started playing when Bryant was introducing a category. And when Jimmy O. Yang took to the stage, he referenced the “heckler” outside.
When Fremont director Babak Jalali was accepting the John Cassavetes Award, he said, “There are people speaking outside, and whatever they’re saying, I think it’s far more important than what I’m about to say. I’m so inspired by what they’re saying outside, I can’t think of what I’m about to say.”
Four Daughters filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania later told THR about the protests outside the show, “People are dying every day, every day, and we are watching it on our phones. So you have a guy here reminding us about reality. I feel sad. I won an award, and there is a hero here.”
Director Kelly Reichardt, who accepted the Robert Altman Award for A24’s Showing Up, noted that the last time she saw Altman was in 2003 at a lifetime achievement event honoring the director. “America was dropping bombs on Iraq at that time, and he was pissed,” Reichardt said. “And I think he’d have a lot to say — just this weirdness of us being here and celebrating each other and our work. Life goes on outside the tent.”
Kelly Reichardt references the “Free Palestine” protesters “outside the tent” at the 2024 #SpiritAwards, where she’s accepting the Robert Altman award pic.twitter.com/4LVqfp0woq
— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 25, 2024
Filmmaker Set Hernandez Rongkilyo was also shown on the screen holding up a keffiyeh — a traditional Arab headdress — when it was announced that he won the Truer Than Fiction Award, which is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.
Earlier Sunday, while on the red carpet prior to the ceremony, I’m a Virgo creator Boots Riley called out Hollywood for not speaking out more about what’s happening in Gaza.
“In the place where everybody’s got the loudest voice, you’re not gonna hear many people talk about that, right?” he said. “As artists, we need to be part of helping movements that are trying to stop it. … Being scared to say something about it is the opposite of what will help.”
Since the busy award season kicked off earlier this year, the Spirit Awards is the first awards show of the season that has been notably disrupted by protests.
People have continued to show up at major events and ceremonies across the United States, including the 2024 Sundance Film Festival last month, to protest after the war broke out when Hamas terrorists led an attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The 39th Spirit Awards, hosted by Bryant, were held on Feb. 25. For the complete winners list, click here.
