On Friday afternoon, terrorist group ISIS claimed responsibility for the box office sensation and Oscar hopeful, La La Land. The Islamic State released a video that clearly depicts five members of the organization holding their flag and a La La Land poster while dancing around an armored tank. In the video, several ISIS members describe Ryan Gosling as “a hero soldier of the caliphate.” The Islamic State asserted in a separate statement that the film had been created “in continuation of the blessed operations that the Islamic State is conducting against the United States.”
The video has sparked much backlash on social media, with the hashtag #ISISLand now trending on Twitter. La La Land producer Mark Flambay expressed concern that ISIS’ announcement might negatively impact the film’s chances of winning Best Picture on Sunday. Flambay issued a statement pleading, “We sincerely hope that La La Land’s alleged connection with the Islamic State does not detract from viewers’ enjoyment of the film we have created. We also implore the Academy to make their decisions based on the material on screen.”
Director Damien Chazelle could not be reached for comment.
-GT ’17, graphic by BU ’18