‘Outrageous’ – Jewish film festival cancelled over ‘safety concerns’

Organizers say they were “stonewalled” by all cinemas in Malmö, which are unwilling to host Jewish-themed films.

By World Israel News Staff

A Jewish film festival set to be held in Malmö, Sweden, was canceled after multiple venues withdrew from hosting, citing security concerns. Organizers were ultimately unable to find any location willing to hold the screenings.

The Jewish International Film Festival, scheduled for November 29 to December 2, was intended to celebrate 250 years of Jewish life in Sweden.

However, local cinema Folkets Hus announced at the last minute that it would no longer host the festival, organizer Sofia Nerbrand confirmed.

Other potential venues, including the major cinema chain Filmstaden, also declined to host, reportedly due to fears of antisemitic violence.

“In this particular case, after thorough assessment, we concluded that we could not host the festival due to safety concerns,” Filmstaden said in a statement. “Our priority is always to ensure a safe and positive experience for both our guests and employees.”

In a post on social media platform X, Nerbrand said the organizers had been “stonewalled” by every commercial and arthouse cinema in Malmö — a city with a significant Muslim migrant population.

“It is outrageous if Sweden cannot protect cinema-goers who are interested in Jewish film,” she wrote.

“More people need to realize that violent antisemites are a serious societal problem, as they spread fear, silence and appeasement. It’s not just about Jews, but about Sweden,” she added.

Festival co-organizer Ola Tedin told Swedish outlet SVT that she doesn’t “understand what security threat there could be with showing Jewish films.”

Sweden’s Minister for Culture, Parisa Liljestrand, condemned the cancellation as “an absolute catastrophe for Swedish society.”

“It is alarming that we have reached this point — that one of our national minorities feels so vulnerable and that organizers believe it is not possible to hold cultural events with Jewish content,” she said in a statement.