81 Film Workers Urge Berlinale to Condemn Gaza
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- 81 film workers published an open letter in Variety condemning Berlinale's silence on Israel's Gaza war and demanding a statement opposing "Israel's genocide".
- Wim Wenders told reporters "We should stay out of politics" when asked about Gaza, a comment the signatories called a denial of filmmaking’s political reality.
- Berlinale allegedly censored pro‑Palestinian filmmakers last year, including reprimanding speakers and prompting a police investigation of one filmmaker.
- Germany is a major exporter of weapons to Israel, including US‑made thermobaric weapons that can reach temperatures over 3,500 °C, as reported by Al Jazeera.
- International film festivals such as Amsterdam’s documentary festival endorsed a cultural boycott of Israel, and over 5,000 film workers pledged to refuse work with Israeli companies.
- Arundhati Roy withdrew from Berlinale after calling jury members' statements "unconscionable", highlighting the festival's controversy.
Why it matters: The open letter pressures Berlinale to break its double standard—its outspoken criticism of Russia and Iran versus silence on Gaza—potentially forcing the festival to issue a pro‑Palestinian statement, preserve its credibility with artists, and confront Germany’s role as a weapons supplier.
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