Ajami co-director Scandar Copti on Sunday said that he does not represent Israel, hours before his film competes for the best foreign film Oscar at the Academy Awards, Army Radio reported.
“I am not Israel’s national team and do not represent her,” Copti reportedly said.
“It is an extremely technical thing and that’s how it works at the Oscars – it says ‘Israel’ because that’s where the money comes from.”
He added that the film, which is co-directed by Copti and Israeli director Yaron Shani, features a mixed cast.
“There’s a Palestinian director, an Israeli director, Palestinian actors and Israeli actors.
The film technically represents Israel, but I don’t represent Israel.
I cannot represent a country that does not represent me,” he said, according to Army Radio.