The Berlin International Film Festival, one of the world’s top three film festivals, is facing criticism for its silence on the Gaza conflict.
According to Variety, an American entertainment magazine, 92 prominent filmmakers, including Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton, and Mark Ruffalo, released an open letter on Tuesday condemning the festival’s systematic silence.
In the letter, they strongly criticized the Berlin Film Festival for allegedly suppressing artists who speak out against Israel’s actions.
They urged the film industry to refuse complicity in the ongoing, horrific violence against Palestinians.
The filmmakers pointed out that while the festival had previously taken clear stances on atrocities in Iran and Ukraine, it has remained silent on the Palestinian issue.
They also demanded that festival organizers explicitly oppose Israel’s alleged genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
This controversy erupted following comments made by festival jury president Wim Wenders during a press conference for the opening of the 2026 Berlin Film Festival on February 12th.
Wenders sparked immediate backlash when he responded to a question about Gaza by stating that filmmakers should stay out of politics, arguing that film is the opposite of politics.
Renowned Indian author Arundhati Roy described his comments as shocking and disgusting, leading her to withdraw from attending the festival, further escalating the situation.
Another factor contributing to this situation is Germany’s staatrason, which prioritizes Israel’s security as a matter of national policy due to historical responsibility for the Holocaust.
The filmmakers who signed the letter criticized this German stance for stifling Palestinian human rights advocacy and reinforcing self-censorship within the arts community.
Indeed, the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, Irene Khan, has pointed out that Germany is misusing related laws, while Chinese artist Ai Weiwei compared Germany’s attitude to fascist impulses of the 1930s.
As the controversy grew, festival organizers responded. Tricia Tuttle, the executive director of the Berlin Film Festival, acknowledged the depth of anger and frustration regarding the suffering of Gaza residents, but countered some claims in the letter as unfounded and inaccurate.