Alex Gibney, the Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker, has attacked the BBC after claiming the British broadcaster rejected his Benjamin Netanyahu exposé The Bibi Files.
The Going Clear director accused the BBC of bending the knee to the Israeli prime minister in its coverage of the war in Gaza.
He produced The Bibi Files, which draws upon leaked videos of the police interrogation of Netanyahu on charges that he accepted gifts worth tens of thousands of dollars in exchange for political favors.
Netanyahu attempted to block the feature’s release, according to the filmmakers, which include director Alexis Bloom (Divide and Conquer: The Story of Roger Ailes).
“BBC won’t show “The Bibi Files” because it is critical of Netanyahu. Israelis in film accuse him of prosecuting an endless brutal war in Gaza to avoid bribery conviction,” Gibney said on X/Twitter. “BBC doesn’t want to allow that POV on TV. BBC bends knee to Bibi.” Gibney has previously said “no mainstream” outlet in the U.S. will show the film.
BBC won’t show “The Bibi Files” because it is critical of Netanyahu. Israelis in film accuse him of prosecuting an endless brutal war in Gaza to avoid bribery conviction. BBC doesn’t want to allow that POV on TV. BBC bends knee to Bibi. https://t.co/aQ6aPUvrxO
— Alex Gibney (@alexgibneyfilm) December 22, 2024The BBC said it does not comment on individual commissioning decisions.
It is likely The Bibi Files was pitched for the BBC’s Storyville strand, which has not shied away from the Middle East conflict, premiering the Nova Music Festival massacre film Surviving October 7th: We Will Dance Again earlier this year. All films must comply with BBC editorial guidelines.
A BBC spokesperson said: “This conflict is a challenging and polarising story to cover, and we are committed to providing impartial reporting for audiences in the UK and across the world. We have shown a broad range of content with different perspectives on the Israel-Gaza war alongside ongoing news coverage across TV and radio.”
Bloom told the Toronto International Film Festival that The Bibi Files had been through a rigorous editorial process. “It’s been fact-checked up the wazoo. So, it’s not a lunatic left-wing film, nor a lunatic right-wing film,” she said.
The Bibi Files screened as a work in progress at the Toronto International Film Festival in October, and made its official world premiere last month at DOC NYC. Producers are Bloom, Gibney, Raviv Drucker, Kara Elverson, and David Rahtz. Executive producers include Lyn Davis Lear, Jim Swartz, Erin Edeiken, and Richard Perello.
English (US) ·