Indian actor Kani Kusruti made a political statement expressing her solidarity with Palestine at the Cannes Film Festival in France during the red carpet event of her film All We Imagine As Light on May 23. At the film’s premiere, the actor carried a bag shaped and designed like a slice of watermelon – a symbol of Palestine’s resistance.
World over, those expressing their solidarity against Israel’s invasion in Gaza have been using watermelon emojis and stickers on the internet as the fruit has hues of the Palestinian flag — the red watermelon flesh, black seeds, white rind, and green outer skin.
Watermelon as a Palestinian symbol first emerged in 1967, when Israel seized control of the West Bank and Gaza and annexed East Jerusalem. Subsequently, the Israeli government imposed an order making it a criminal offence to display Palestinian flag in Gaza and the West Bank. It was in a bid to circumvent this that Palestinians started using watermelons as a symbol of resistance.
Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza so far has killed at least 35,709 people, including more than 15,000 children.
Along with Kani, other international actors who seemingly expressed their solidarity with Palestine at the Cannes include actor Cate Blanchett and Leila Bekhti. While Blanchett wore a gown which appeared to emulate the design of the Palestine flag, Bekhti wore a heart-shaped pin designed with the seeded pattern of a watermelon.
All We Imagine As Light features actors Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam and Hridhu Haroon. The film is directed by Payal Kapadia. The synopsis of the film reads, "In Mumbai, Nurse Prabha's daily routine is disrupted when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Meanwhile, her younger roommate, Anu, struggles to find a private place in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. A getaway to a beach town provides them with the opportunity to fulfil their desires in a secluded setting."
The film got an 8-minute standing ovation, and during the appreciation Kani yet again flaunted her bag.