There are nearly 300 movies being showcased at the Berlin International Film Festival, but during this year’s event, which runs until Sunday, discussions in the media and online have consistently veered away from cinema and towards current political affairs.
Since its opening last Thursday, the festival’s press conferences have become a battleground for sharp questioning directed at filmmakers and celebrities. They’ve been challenged on their stances regarding sensitive topics like the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the German government’s support for Israel’s military, and the alarming rise of far-right movements.
Many artists have sidestepped these politically charged inquiries, and festival organizers have repeatedly urged reporters to keep the focus on the films. However, viral clips of these tense exchanges have ignited a broader debate about the role artists play in global events.
Awkwardness set in even before the first film premiered. During the opening press conference, the German director Wim Wenders, who chairs this year’s jury, offered what some considered a controversial response to a journalist’s question about the festival’s position on Gaza.
“We must remain separate from politics, because if our films are overtly political, we then enter the realm of politics itself,” Wenders stated, adding, “We serve as a counterbalance to politics.”
This statement sparked immediate and widespread backlash, intensifying long-held criticisms from some observers regarding the festival’s stance on Israel. Given that the Berlinale, as it’s known, receives substantial funding from the German government, it finds itself navigating political demands to moderate criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza, which some officials have characterized as antisemitic.
At times, these discussions have threatened to completely overshadow the cinematic works themselves. The Berlinale has been shaken by open letters denouncing Wenders and the festival, and its press conferences have become increasingly politicized.
During a press conference for the comedy ‘Sunny Dancer,’ American actor Neil Patrick Harris was asked if movies could combat the rise of fascism in Europe and the United States. His reply – “In a world that feels strangely algorithmic and divided right now, I, as an artist, am interested in creating things that are apolitical” – provoked further online outrage. Some found his answer evasive, while others argued the question was inappropriate for such an event.
Other prominent figures, including ‘Harry Potter’ star Rupert Grint and Ethan Hawke, have also faced questions about Gaza or right-wing politics. Hawke, in Berlin to promote his film ‘The Weight,’ quipped, “The last place you probably want to seek spiritual guidance is from a group of jet-lagged, intoxicated artists discussing their film.”
Many of these pointed questions, including the one aimed at Wenders, came from Tilo Jung, a 40-year-old independent journalist and podcaster usually covering German politics, who seems to have embraced his role as the festival’s provocateur.
In an interview, Jung explained that he decided to actively participate in Berlinale press conferences this year due to the rise of ‘fascist forces in Europe and in America’ and what he perceived as the festival’s inconsistency on the Gaza issue. He highlighted that in previous years, the festival had issued official statements supporting Ukraine and Iranian protesters but had never shown solidarity with Palestinians.
“There are still too few important artists,” he asserted, “who are politically engaged and willing to take a stand. Of course, the institution here would prefer if we talked about the stars and the films — but as I said, we are living in historic times, where democracy is in peril.”
Festival director Tricia Tuttle has condemned the aggressive tone of the debate. In a detailed statement released midway through the festival, she emphasized that while politics has a place at the event, filmmakers are not obligated to ‘speak on every political issue raised to them unless they choose to.’
In a recent interview, Tuttle noted that the extensive media attention given to political matters at press conferences has detracted from coverage of the films themselves. These include ‘Rose,’ starring Sandra Hüller as a woman living as a man in 17th-century Germany, and ‘Yellow Letters,’ a powerful drama depicting political repression in Turkey.
She observed that in a ‘couple of instances,’ the questioners ‘were expecting specific answers,’ which then ‘became sound bites used for viral content.’ She added, ‘It’s a delicate critical and media ecosystem surrounding these films.’
Andreas Busche, a culture editor for the Berlin newspaper Der Tagesspiegel, argued that the festival’s debate surrounding Israel had sometimes devolved into ‘black-and-white thinking.’ He contended that the Berlinale’s political stance should be judged not by official statements but by ‘the films it shows’ and the diversity of ‘opinions of those it invites.’
The controversy intensified with the publication of an open letter from Indian author Arundhati Roy, announcing her cancellation of a festival appearance due to Wenders’ comments, which she deemed ‘a way of silencing a conversation about a crime against humanity.’ Furthermore, over 80 current and former Berlinale participants, including Tilda Swinton, Mark Ruffalo, and Javier Bardem, released their own open letter urging the festival to condemn Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Tuttle countered that one of the letter’s accusations — that the festival censored artists critical of Israel — was false. “I truly wish some of the signatories whom I know,” she stated, “had engaged in conversations with me to understand the actual situation.”