BOYCOTT

Boycott had its world premiere at DOC NYC in November 2021, where it screened to a sold-out theater of 475 people. We are now touring with the film at festivals across the US and internationally — from SXSW in Texas, to Human Rights Watch Film Festival in London, to Hot Docs in Toronto — working to reach strategic audiences and press who can amplify this story. Starting in the fall of 2022, we will launch our community and educational campaign and bring the film to universities, congregations, community centers and other venues. If you are interested in organizing a screening, please be in touch with us at events@justvision.org.

You can see our upcoming screenings on our events page. We also encourage signing up to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on our work and where we will be taking Boycott next.

Anti-boycott laws use the government’s economic leverage to target individuals and companies who engage in boycotts as a form of protest or political expression. These laws remove the legal protection that has been awarded to boycotts for generations, granting governments the power to condition jobs on political viewpoints.

Since 2015, 35 states have passed laws that penalize those engaging in boycotts and other nonviolent measures aimed at pressuring Israel on its human rights record. More recently, states have used these Israel-focused laws as a template for further attacks on the right to protest, by introducing legislation punishing companies that boycott or divest from the fossil fuels and firearms industries. Learn more here.

Boycott was made by Just Vision, a team of filmmakers, storytellers, journalists and human rights advocates. It was directed by Just Vision’s Creative Director, Julia Bacha, and produced by Just Vision’s Executive Director, Suhad Babaa and Naked Edge Films Founder and Producer, Daniel J. Chalfen.

We began production in November 2018 after several years of research and development. We shot from the Arizona desert to a mosque in Texas, from the ACLU headquarters in New York City to a family farm in Arkansas. The film’s Director of Photography is Amber Fares with additional footage shot by Kelly West. Boycott was edited by Flavia De Souza and Eric Daniel Metzgar. The film includes verite footage coupled with historical footage and news archive, as well as graphics created by Garry Waller.

Learn more about the filmmaking team here.

Boycott was funded through support from dozens of foundations and individuals who believed in us early and supported us at every juncture. We’re grateful for the support of film industry leaders including The Bertha Doc Society Journalism Fund, IDA Enterprise Documentary Fund, Sundance Institute, Fork Films, CrossCurrents Foundation, Threshold Foundation, and Perspective Fund. The film was also made possible by longstanding partners who have supported Just Vision’s efforts over the years.

All rights to Boycott are owned by Just Vision. If you're interested in screening the film, please email us at events@justvision.org to secure the appropriate license. If you are a distributor or sales agent interested in theatrical, broadcast, streaming, VOD or DVD rights, please email us at distribution@justvision.org.