Jews in Film Are Not ‘Zionist Propaganda,’ Critics Note

The growing struggle to interpret Jewish narratives in contemporary media has reached a critical juncture, as online discourse increasingly filters even the most innocuous Jewish references through the lens of Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Recent examples highlight this troubling trend. Josh Safdie’s “Marty Supreme,” starring Timothée Chalamet as a Jewish ping-pong hustler, sparked controversy over a scene where the protagonist presents his mother with a piece of the pyramids, claiming “We built that.” The joke, meant to illustrate the character’s outsized self-importance, was misinterpreted by social media users as “Zionist propaganda,” with one post making this accusation garnering nearly 96,000 likes and 7 million views.

This misinterpretation isn’t isolated. Last year, Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” faced similar scrutiny over its portrayal of Holocaust survivors discussing the newly formed state of Israel, with viewers demanding the film take a definitive political stance rather than simply depicting historical reality.

The phenomenon extends beyond explicitly Jewish stories. Mainstream properties like “Dune,” “Superman,” and even “Zootopia 2” have been characterized by some viewers as allegories for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, regardless of creators’ stated intentions or historical inspirations.

“When I see these takes, I beat my chest as if performing viddui over the death of media literacy,” notes cultural critic PJ Grisar, referring to the Jewish confessional prayer.

Even classic films aren’t immune. In “Blazing Saddles,” a 1974 comedy directed by Mel Brooks, a joke referencing the Passover narrative might be interpreted differently today. When a character suggests killing “the firstborn male child in every household,” another dismisses it as “too Jewish” – a clear reference to the Exodus story. Yet in today’s climate, such references risk being misconstrued through a conspiratorial lens.

This shift in interpretation raises concerns about the future of Jewish representation in media. As actor Denise Gough demonstrated in discussing the “Star Wars” series “Andor,” there’s a growing tendency to view global conflicts as interconnected through Palestine, which she described as an “exhaust port” that, when targeted, “explodes everything” – a perspective that dangerously oversimplifies complex geopolitical realities.

The underlying issue is that valid criticism of Israeli government policies is increasingly blurring with broader Jewish cultural references. When online commentators label any Jewish presence in media as “Zionist propaganda,” they inadvertently undermine legitimate arguments that anti-Zionism isn’t inherently antisemitic.

Media scholars worry this trend could lead to self-censorship among creators or a flattening of Jewish narratives to avoid controversy. The rich tapestry of Jewish experience – which includes diverse perspectives on Israel, religion, culture, and identity – risks being reduced to a single political dimension.

“The Jewish story is textured, complex and anything but unified,” Grisar emphasizes. Films like “Marty Supreme,” “The Brutalist,” and “Blazing Saddles” each demonstrate this complexity in their own way.

As audiences grow increasingly polarized on Middle Eastern politics, the ability to appreciate Jewish stories on their own terms – with their humor, contradictions, and cultural specificity – faces unprecedented challenges. The consequences extend beyond entertainment, potentially affecting how Jewish identity itself is understood and discussed in public discourse.