National Academy Upholds Palestinian Artist's Emmy Nomination, Dismissing Complaint from Pro-Zionist Music and Film Executives

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) has decisively dismissed a petition seeking to revoke the Emmy nomination of Palestinian journalist Bisan Owda. 

The complaint, filed by a coalition of mainly pro-Israel artists and industry professionals, aimed to overturn Owda’s nomination due to her film, “It’s Bisan From Gaza and I’m Still Alive.” The film documents her family’s desperate flight from the Israeli bombardment of their Beit Hanoun home, as they seek safety in what was thought to be the "safe zone" of Al-Shifa Hospital. 

The film follows Owda while she is living in a tent outside the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and features interviews with local residents, including an 11-year-old who lost his parents in a bombing. 

Released as an open letter by the nonprofit Creative Community for Peace, alleged that Owda has links to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group designated as a terrorist organization by the US and the European Union. The letter accused Owda of participating in PFLP events between 2014 and 2018 and claimed she has a “history of promoting dangerous falsehoods, spreading antisemitism, and endorsing violence.” 

However NATAS President and CEO Adam Sharp defended the nomination, explaining that the organization could not verify the claims in the letter, which referenced footage of a teenage Owda at PFLP-associated events from six to nine years ago. 

Additionally, NATAS found no evidence of any current or ongoing involvement by Owda with the PFLP. 

Sharp further stressed that the film met all competition rules and NATAS policies. He pointed out that it had been reviewed by two independent judging panels, which included senior editorial figures from prominent US news networks. 

The film was selected from more than 50 entries in one of the year's most competitive categories. 

Interestingly, the letter has received just 150 signatures from an industry with about three million employees. The signatories, predominantly advocates of Israel and strong supporters of Zionism include music and film executives as well as performers like Debra Messing. 

Owda’s film has already been recognized with prestigious journalism awards, including the Peabody Awards and the Edward R. Murrow Awards, which are independently administered by NATAS and the News & Documentary Emmys. 

The News and Documentary Emmy Awards will be announced next month in New York, with Owda’s nomination remaining intact despite the controversy.