It looks like the Tel Aviv debaucle shadowing the 34th Toronto International Film Festival is not going away.

Last week it was announced that Canadian filmmaker John Greyson was pulling his short documentary ‘Covered’ from TIFF in protest of the decision to spotlight Tel Aviv and the work of 10 Israeli filmmakers as part of its new ‘City to City’ program.

Today the Globe and Mail reports that more than 50 prominent filmmakers, writers, artists and academics have signed a letter protesting the spotlight. These include Ken Loach, David Byrne, Naomi Klein, Alice Walker, Jane Fonda, Wallace Shawn and Danny Glover. The Globe says the letter is to be published online today, with a call for more signatories.

“As members of the Canadian and international film, culture and media arts communities, we are deeply disturbed by [TIFF's] decision to host a celebratory spotlight on Tel Aviv,” the letter reads. It also accuses festival organizers of complicity in the “Israeli propaganda macine.”

TIFF co-director Cameron Bailey responded to protests last week in an open letter on the TIFF website. Bailey wrote, “There was no pressure from any outside source. Contrary to rumours or mistaken media reports, this focus is a product only of TIFF’s programming decisions. We value that independence and would never compromise it.”

The letter goes on to say, “We recognize that Tel Aviv is not a simple choice and that the city remains contested ground. We continue to learn more about the Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement. As a festival that values debate and the exchange of cultures, we will continue to screen the best films we can find from around the world.”