Hollywood actress Sharon Stone canceled her planned appearance at the Los Angeles Israeli Film Festival just days before she was scheduled to present an award. While Stone cited filming commitments in Australia as the reason, the festival's director suggested that external pressures may have influenced her decision. Stone had been set to present the Vision Award to producer Lawrence Bender, who later asked Tiffany Haddish to step in on short notice. The festival opened as planned, featuring a range of Israeli films and honoring notable filmmakers.