Actor Javier Bardem drew strong applause at the Academy Awards after delivering a brief political message while presenting the award for Best International Feature Film.
Taking to the stage during the ceremony on March 15, Bardem opened his remarks with the words “No to war and free Palestine”, prompting a loud reaction from the audience inside the theatre. The actor also wore two pins on the lapel of his tuxedo, one reading “No to war” and another expressing support for Palestine.
The moment came amid heightened global debate over conflicts in the Middle East, including recent US military strikes against Iran and the continuing war in Gaza.
Bardem has been outspoken on the issue in recent months. Speaking on the red carpet earlier this awards season, he criticised the violence in Gaza and referred to the position of the International Association of Genocide Scholars, which has described the situation as genocide. He called for diplomatic pressure and sanctions to halt the conflict, concluding his remarks with the words “Free Palestine”.
In February, Bardem also joined more than 100 film industry figures in signing an open letter condemning what they described as the Berlin International Film Festival’s silence on the war in Gaza. The letter, signed by filmmakers and past festival participants, criticised what it said was censorship of artists who had spoken out against Israel’s military actions and urged film institutions to take a clearer stand on the issue.
Bardem’s statement at the Oscars was one of several moments during the ceremony in which artists used the stage to address wider political and humanitarian concerns.
