12 NOVEMBER 1994, Page 33

Sir: As a screenwriter who works in Holly- wood, it

comes as something of a surprise to discover that what I should have been doing is pretending to be Jewish.

There are many valid criticisms that can be levelled at the American film industry, but the idea of anyone giving preferential treatment to writers, directors etc. who are Jewish is not, in my experience, one of them.

In fact, in an industry for which novelty is all, different backgrounds, experiences and approaches are viewed as highly valuable assets.

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