Paramount Chief David Ellison champions Oct. 7 drama ‘Red Alert’

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I was at a really powerful screening the other day at Paramount Studios. About 200 of us watched “Red Alert,” a new four-part series that tells the story of the horrific October 7th attack on Israel. What made it so impactful was that it focused on the experiences of six different people who were caught up in it – it really brought the tragedy to life.

At a recent event on September 30th, Paramount’s CEO David Ellison explained how he discovered a new series needing a U.S. distributor. He had been speaking with producer Lawrence Bender at a memorial for Skip Brittenham when Bender mentioned his Israeli-backed series, “Red Alert,” was looking for a U.S. home.

Ellison quickly volunteered. “It was a fast ‘yes,’ ” he told the group.

The new documentary, “Red Alert,” premiered on Paramount+ on Tuesday, coinciding with the two-year anniversary of the October 7th attack on Israel. The attack, carried out by Hamas, resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 Israelis and the abduction of over 250 people.

This major project follows Larry Ellison’s recent acquisition of Paramount. Two months ago, Ellison—the billionaire founder of Oracle—and his family, along with RedBird Capital Partners, completed an $8 billion buyout of the company.

Since the acquisition was finalized on August 7th, David Ellison has been steering the company towards a more moderate political stance while also addressing controversial topics. He hasn’t hesitated to publicly disagree with those in the entertainment industry who have advocated for boycotting Israel.

Over two years after the October 7th attack, Hollywood is still sharply divided over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.

Paramount recently criticized an open letter expressing support for Palestinians that’s become popular in Hollywood. The letter, called “Film Workers for Palestine,” has gathered over 5,000 signatures from people in the film industry, including well-known directors and producers like Adam McKay, Ava DuVernay, Alex Gibney, and Hannah Einbinder.

As a film lover, I’ve been following the calls for a boycott of Israeli film festivals, organizations, and projects – it’s all aimed at putting pressure to end the war in Gaza. The idea is to mirror the boycotts that were so effective in South Africa years ago, when people really came together to dismantle apartheid and end racial segregation. It’s a powerful strategy, using cultural influence to push for political change, and many are hoping it can have a similar impact here.

No other major studio followed Paramount.

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Paramount Pictures strongly criticized a proposed boycott of the Israeli film industry. The boycott was suggested by Film Workers for Palestine, a group of many well-known figures in Hollywood.

On September 12th, Paramount publicly stated that it did not support the Film Workers’ request to boycott film screenings or collaborations with Israeli film organizations.

Paramount believes stories have the power to bring people together, inspire them, and help us understand each other. The company stated that restricting artists based on where they’re from doesn’t foster understanding or contribute to peace.

The Film Workers group claims Paramount didn’t follow through on its promise, stating the pledge was not meant to impact individual filmmakers.

However, some argue that filmmakers collaborating with Israeli cultural organizations could also be affected by the ban.

Over 1,200 people in the entertainment industry – including actors Mayim Bialik and Liev Schreiber, and Paramount board member Sherry Lansing – have signed a letter disagreeing with the Film Workers for Palestine. The letter, released by the nonprofit Creative Community For Peace, claims the Film Workers for Palestine promote unfair censorship and the suppression of artistic expression.

Supporters of the Palestinian cause rejected the way the campaign was described. In a statement released this week, they explained that the “Film Workers Pledge to End Complicity” is a peaceful, anti-racist movement based on international law and the widely held belief that genocide is wrong. They also stated that it marks the first time a large part of the international film industry has collectively refused to work with Israeli film organizations and companies seen as complicit.

As a big fan of international TV, I was really excited to hear about “Red Alert.” It’s a new series that was made with Keshet Media Group, a well-known Israeli production company. They even got funding from the Jewish National Fund-USA and the Israel Entertainment Fund, which is great to see. It actually just premiered on Keshet 12 in Israel. And if that name sounds familiar, Keshet is also the team behind “Prisoners of War,” the fantastic Israeli show that inspired the American hit “Homeland”! So I’m definitely adding “Red Alert” to my watchlist.

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Paramount quickly made significant investments by acquiring streaming rights for UFC, the creators of “Stranger Things” (the Duffer Brothers), and “South Park.” This spending has generated optimism in Hollywood, which has recently faced a lot of challenges.

At a late September showing at Paramount, Ellison explained that projects like “Red Alert” are important for remembering both the horrors of the past and the inspiring stories of those who survived and showed courage.

Ellison from Paramount stated they focus on creating enduring stories, not getting involved in political debates or platform disagreements. He sees ‘Red Alert’ as a perfect example of this goal and expressed strong support for the series.

Some observers have pointed out that Elon Musk’s father, Larry, who co-founded Oracle, is a well-known supporter of Israel and has donated millions to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces.

Many in Hollywood have criticized the Israeli government’s actions during the Gaza war. Reports from Gaza’s Health Ministry indicate over 67,000 Palestinians have been killed, though these figures don’t differentiate between civilians and fighters.

Israel is facing accusations of genocide from the United Nations, human rights organizations, various experts, and many Western governments. However, Israel refutes these claims.

At a May 2024 gala celebrating him, Ari Emanuel, head of WME Group, strongly criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said he should be removed from office. His comments sparked a mixed reaction from the audience, with some people applauding, others booing, and a few choosing to leave the event.

Last year, while accepting his Oscar, Jonathan Glazer, the director of “The Zone of Interest,” posed a powerful question: how do we fight against the dehumanization of people, whether it’s happening to the victims of the October 7th attacks in Israel or those suffering in the ongoing conflict in Gaza?

Weeks later, Steven Spielberg called out the rise of antisemitism as well as the ongoing war.

Spielberg stated that it’s possible to both condemn the terrible attacks by Hamas on October 7th and to grieve for the innocent civilians, including women and children, who have been killed in Gaza. He made these remarks while commemorating the anniversary of the USC Shoah Foundation.

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CBS News parent Paramount will also acquire the Free Press for $150 million in cash and stock.

As a supporter, I’m really concerned about what’s happening at Paramount. Their resistance to the Film Workers’ pledge, plus their recent purchase of Free Press and putting Bari Weiss in charge at CBS News, is making a lot of us uneasy. It feels like a big shift, and we’re worried about what it means for the future of the company and the kind of stories they’ll tell.

David Ellison hired Weiss, a known supporter of Israel, for a key position.

The company faced internal conflict due to Paramount’s decision to settle a lawsuit filed by former President Trump. The suit stemmed from changes made to a “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President Kamala Harris that aired a year prior. This summer, Paramount agreed to pay $16 million to resolve the case, which many First Amendment legal scholars considered a baseless attempt to intimidate the company.

I couldn’t believe it when, after weeks of waiting, the FCC – with the Trump-appointed commissioners making the decision – actually gave the Ellison family the green light to buy Paramount. It felt like a huge shift was happening in the media world!

A group of Paramount employees, calling themselves Paramount Employees of Conscience, says they’ve reached out to company leaders twice in the past month with concerns, but haven’t received a response. They pointed out that while Paramount+ streams the show “Red Alert,” the company isn’t offering similar content that shares Palestinian perspectives on the situation in Gaza.

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A former New York Times editor and the founder of Free Press is entering the challenging world of television news.

In a letter to Paramount’s leaders on September 17th, a group questioned how the company, which claims to value creativity, could consistently disregard and silence employees who asked for stories highlighting the daily struggles of marginalized groups, especially Palestinians.

Paramount declined to comment.

A member of the group, who wished to remain anonymous for fear of getting in trouble, said it consists of around 30 employees.

Paramount employees are preparing for significant layoffs expected to happen next month. Skydance Media, led by David Ellison, and RedBird Capital Partners have committed to finding over $2 billion in cost savings at Paramount.

A Paramount employee acknowledged the Ellisons are a powerful and well-funded family. However, they emphasized the need to break a pattern of keeping issues hidden. They explained that staying silent in the industry is seen as enabling harmful behavior.

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2025-10-08 17:32