The TIFF Bell Lightbox was being used for more political purposes, Tuesday, as filmmakers held a press conference to call for the release of two Canadians detained in Egypt.
John Greyson, a Canadian filmmaker and York University professor, and Tarek Loubani, an emergency room doctor, were arrested on August 16 when they stopped in a police station for directions to a hospital in Gaza. They are being held in Cairo without charge, but have been reported to be in good health.
Cecilia Greyson, John’s sister, said she was unsure of the content of her husband’s work that brought him to Gaza, but she did know that he was invited to observe Loubani’s work.
Atom Egoyan, an Egyptian-Canadian filmmaker, actress Sarah Polley, author Michael Ondaatje and documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney were among the speakers at the press conference.
Egoyan called Greyson a “deeply feeling human being who has produced a great body of work.”
Though Egoyan conceded that he doesn’t always agree with Greyson’s point of view, he supports Greyson’s right to present his opinion.
Polley has been part of the movement to free John and Tarek at TIFF. She distributed buttons supporting the pair at a pre-TIFF party for film critics.
During the press conference, Polley brought attention to a petition signed by 311 members of the film community, including such high profile names as Ben Affleck, Colin Firth, Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe.
The campaign has also received over 100,00 signatures on a change.org petition.
Statements of support have been given by many prominent public figures and organizations, including the World Medical Association, MP Marc Garneau, the Sundance Film institute, universities and professors from across Canada and the United States, and the Toronto International Film Festival.
This is the second straight year the film festival has promoted the cause of a captured filmmaker. Last year the festival was “extremely concerned” about the arrest of Syrian Orwa Nyrabia. After international pressure, his case was reviewed and he was aquitted.
Watch the video put to together by Greyson’s students calling for his release:
