Glastonbury Festival criticised over Jeremy Corbyn film cancellation
The producer of Oh, Jeremy Corbyn: The Big Lie, the documentary scheduled to be screened on Sunday at Glastonbury Festival, has called organisers “disgraceful” after it was pulled due to claims of antisemitism.
In a statement shared with the PA news agency, Norman Thomas of Platform Films asserted that claims that the film was antisemitic are “a total smear” and have no foundation “whatsoever”.
Whilst Glastonbury Festival maintained that they did not doubt that the film had been booked by Pilton Palais “in good faith,” they said in a statement: “It’s become clear that it is not appropriate for us to screen it at the Festival. Glastonbury is about unity and not division, and we stand against all forms of discrimination”.
The decision followed the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BDBJ) and their President, Marie van der Zyl, voicing “deep concern” about the contents of the documentary, labelling it “profoundly sinister” that Glastonbury Festival was screening it.
In his responding statement, Norman Thomas said “vicious outside pressure” influenced Glastonbury’s decision. “An outside pressure group has declared war on our film,” he continued. “They wrote to the festival’s sponsors… and whipped up huge storm of complaints about the film claiming, without any foundation whatsoever, that the film is antisemitic.”
The producer maintained: “The claim that the film is antisemitic is a total smear. The festival organisers even had a lawyer examine the film who pronounced it totally devoid of antisemitism.”
“This has gone on long enough… Journalists, who know very well what’s going on, have to stand up and call this out for what it is: rank censorship,” Thomas said. “The problem is, if they do, they fear being accused of antisemitism.” He concluded: “But if enough of us stand together the accusation won’t stick and this madness will end.”
Watch the trailer for Oh, Jeremy Corbyn below.
Never Miss A Beat
The Far Out Music Newsletter
All the latest music news from the independent voice of culture.
Straight to your inbox.