Jennifer Lawrence has condemned the war in Gaza, describing it as “no less than a genocide” in powerful comments during a press conference at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain.
The Oscar-winning actress, who was attending the festival to present her new film Die My Love and receive the prestigious Donostia Award, faced repeated questions about the conflict. While moderators initially attempted to prevent political questions, Lawrence addressed the issue directly towards the end of the session.
“I’m terrified and it’s mortifying. What’s happening is no less than a genocide and it’s unacceptable,” Lawrence said, adding: “I’m terrified for my children, for all of our children.”
She went on to warn about the long-term impact of political dishonesty on younger generations in the United States. “What makes me so sad is that the disrespect and the discourse in American politics right now is going to be normal to them. The kids voting at 18 now will see it as normal that politics has no integrity, politicians lie, and there is no empathy,” she said.
Lawrence urged audiences to recognise that ignoring atrocities abroad can have wider consequences. “Everybody needs to remember that when you ignore what’s happening on one side of the world, it won’t be long until it’s on your side as well.”
At the same time, she emphasised that actors and artists should not be made scapegoats for global political crises. “I wish there was something I could say, something I could do to fix this extremely complex and disgraceful situation. But the reality is, our fear in speaking too much is that my words will just be used to add more fire and rhetoric to something that is in the hands of elected officials. People need to stay focused on who is responsible, what they can do, and when they need to show up and vote — not let actors take the heat.”
Earlier in the conference, Lawrence also reflected on free speech in the United States, noting: “Freedom of speech and freedom of expression is under attack,” which she said makes international film festivals “an even more sacred space.”