With just a day to go until it closes, the Cinema for Gaza auction has received several new celebrity donations from the entertainment world, with its fundraising efforts now surpassing $200,000.
Among the new lots are a “Joker” poster signed by Joaquin Phoenix. The actor — who also led the list of Jewish creatives signing a letting backing Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars speech — also donated a poster for “You Were Never Really Here” that he signed alongside director Lynne Ramsay.
Meanwhile, the auction has also received six personalized signed books from Guillermo del Toro, a signed “The Crown” script from Emma Corrin, a customized Cinema for Gaza painting from “American History X” director Tony Kaye and a chat and custom tattoo design from “Saturday Night Live” writer Julio Torres.
Set up by U.K.-based filmmakers and film journalists Hanna Flint, Julia Jackman, Leila Latif, Sophie Monks Kaufman and Helen Simmons, the Cinema for Gaza auction has been steadily growing since it first launched on March 28. Among the more-than 200 lots are donations from the likes of Spike Lee, Paul Mescal, Olivia Colman, Tessa Thompson, Josh O’Conner, Tilda Swinton and many more.
In a statement, the organizers said: “Cinema for Gaza’s first fundraiser is in its final few days, and with over $200,000 and counting raised, has finished adding new lots. The auction, which featured items donated from Spike Lee, Jonathan Glazer, Tessa Thompson, Joseph Quinn, Tilda Swinton, Maisie Williams, Benedict Wong and many more was inundated with wonderful donations from across the film industry. Its final lot was able to include items donated from Joaquin Phoenix, Lynne Ramsay and Emma Corrin.
The small team of volunteers is incredibly moved and inspired by the generosity of both donors and bidders. Hannah Farr, Hanna Flint, Julia Jackman, Leila Latif, Sophie Monks Kaufman and Helen Simmons are proud to have facilitated the very best of our industry contributing vital aid via Medical Aid For Palestinians – the only NGO currently operating in the north of Gaza.”
The auction closes April 12, with all donations going to Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP). MAP is currently responding to the emergency in Gaza, where the local health authority says more than 32,000 Palestinians have been killed during Israel’s retaliation for Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which killed more than 1,100 Israelis.