The Zone of Interest won Best International Feature Film at last night’s Academy Awards. The director of the film, Jonathan Glazer, gave a powerful speech after his win, highlighting the similarities between the lives lost in the Holocaust and the Israel-Palestine conflict.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Glazer thanked his partners for their help during the historical drama The Zone of Interest and made a statement referencing the Israel-Gaza conflict. “All our choices were made to reflect and confront us in the present, not to say, ‘Look what they did then;’ rather, ‘what we do now,’” Glazer said. “Our film shows where dehumanization leads at its worst. It’s shaped all of our past and present.”

Glazer, who is Jewish, continued by stating his perspective on the conflict in Israel. “Right now, we stand here as men who refute their Jewishness and the Holocaust being hijacked by an occupation which has led to conflict for so many innocent people…Whether the victims of October 7th in Israel or the ongoing attack on Gaza, all the victims of this dehumanization, how do we resist?” he declared.

His statement was met with applause, which is a positive sign given that Hollywood has been notably conservative when it comes to the atrocities in Gaza. Some believe Hollywood could become more inclusive and progressive if more stars were empowered to speak freely regarding the topic.