Hollywood stars condemn Gaza 'genocide'

More than 350 figures from the cinema world including Hollywood stars Richard Gere and Susan Sarandon condemned "genocide" in Gaza in an open letter published on Monday on the eve of the Cannes Film Festival.

- ADAM PLOWRIGHT ALICE HACKMAN

"We cannot remain silent while genocide is taking place in Gaza," read the letter initiated by several pro-Palestinian activist groups and published in French newspaper Liberation and US magazine Variety.

The signatories, which include acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar and former Cannes winner Ruben Ostlund, decried the death of Gazan photojournalist Fatima Hassouna.

Hassouna, 25, is the subject of a documentary which will premiere in Cannes tomorrow by Iranian director Sepideh Farsi, titled Put Your Soul On Your Hand And Walk.