A statement that “cinema should remain outside of politics” sparked outrage. An open letter signed by over 80 artists denounces a festival beholden to power.
A text, signed by Tilda Swinton among others, follows the heated disagreements that followed statements in support of the Palestinian people during the closing ceremony in 2024. Photo Romuald Meigneux/Starface
Published February 18, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Tensions are rising at the Berlinale. Just a week into the festival, the event finds itself embroiled in controversy sparked by comments made by 2026 jury president Wim Wenders. By asserting that “cinema should remain outside of politics,” and suggesting it should be its counterweight, the filmmaker has inadvertently politicized the 76th edition of the German festival. The numerous objections to his statements have now been joined by an open letter signed by a host of renowned artists, including Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Adèle Haenel, and Nan Goldin— a total of eighty-one signatories. More than a protest, the letter is a direct indictment of the Berlinale’s editorial line and its internal practices. All the signatories have been invited to the festival in the past or this year.
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Disseminated by the professional organization Film Workers for Palestine, the text echoes the strong disagreements that followed statements in support of the Palestinian people during the closing ceremony in 2024. Many felt the festival had lost face then, unable to defend the artists it invited, who were condemned by a segment of the German political class and the city of Berlin for their support of a ceasefire in Gaza. Revisiting the 2025 edition, the open letter further damages the festival’s image and exacerbates the accusations leveled against it: “Last year, filmmakers who spoke out for Palestinian life and liberty from the Berlinale stage reported being aggressively reprimanded by senior festival programmers. One filmmaker was reported to have been investigated by police, and Berlinale leadership falsely implied that the filmmaker’s moving speech—rooted in international law and solidarity—was ‘discriminatory.’ As another filmmaker confided to Film Workers for Palestine regarding last year’s festival: ‘There was a climate of paranoia, a feeling of vulnerability and persecution that I had never experienced before at a film festival.’ We stand with our colleagues to condemn this institutional repression and this anti-Palestinian racism.”
We are dismayed by the Berlinale’s involvement in the censorship of artists who oppose the ongoing Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
Suggesting a thought police might be in effect, the letter addressed to the festival bluntly describes an event beholden to power: “We are dismayed by the Berlinale’s involvement in the censorship of artists who oppose the ongoing Israeli genocide against Palestinians in Gaza and the key role of the German state in facilitating it. As the Palestinian Film Institute stated, the festival ‘monitors filmmakers whereas reaffirming its commitment to cooperate with the federal police in its investigations.’” These accusations were difficult for the Berlinale to ignore, resembling a partisan tract. Festival director Tricia Tuttle, who arrived in 2024 to revitalize the flagging event, spoke to Screen about the decidedly flammable political issue she now faces. “We understand where this anger and frustration comes from regarding the suffering of the people of Gaza, as well as the urgency to express oneself and make one’s voice heard. We understand this perfectly. But we strongly disagree with the false information being disseminated. These inaccurate allegations concerning the Berlinale are unfounded or anonymous; we do not understand who is expressing them, and we reject them. We believe it is legitimate to have differing opinions, but disinformation is dangerous. It harms the festival and all those working to offer a safe, fair, and diverse cinematic platform reflecting different perspectives on the world.” When asked about the Berlinale’s willingness to publicly address the issue, especially during the closing ceremony this Saturday, Tricia Tuttle simply stated: “We are proceeding step by step.” On shaky ground.
