• Over 80 film professionals, including Tilda Swinton and Javier Bardem, demand the Berlin Film Festival address the Gaza crisis.
• The open letter condemns the festival's "institutional silence" and accuses it of censorship regarding pro-Palestinian artists.
• This call follows remarks by Berlinale jury president Wim Wenders, who suggested filmmakers should avoid political statements.
• Critics argue that the festival's stance contrasts sharply with its vocal positions on other geopolitical issues.
• The letter emphasizes the urgent need for the festival to acknowledge the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

More than 80 film industry figures, including notable actors such as Javier Bardem and Tilda Swinton, have signed an open letter calling on the Berlin Film Festival to take a decisive stance on the ongoing crisis in Gaza. The artists express their collective frustration over what they perceive as the festival's "institutional silence" on Israel's actions against Palestinians, which they characterize as "genocide" and "crimes against humanity," according to Le Monde, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.

The letter, coordinated by the Film Workers for Palestine collective and published in entertainment media, articulates the signatories' dismay at the festival's failure to issue statements supporting the Palestinian rights amidst the conflict. They specifically request the Berlinale to uphold artists' freedom to express their dissension against the Israeli government. "We call on the Berlinale to fulfil its moral duty and clearly state its opposition to Israel's genocide," the letter asserts, reflecting the sentiments echoed in responses from both Reuters and Al Jazeera.

Jury president Wim Wenders’ comments, suggesting that filmmakers should remain politically neutral, drew criticisms and highlighted a stark divide between the Berlinale's stance on diverse global issues, such as those concerning Iran and Ukraine, and its apparent hesitance to speak on Gaza. The letter points out that the festival has historically asserted the need for political expressions tied to humanitarian concerns, spotlighting a hypocrisy that many artists feel compromises the integrity of the festival, as noted by Le Monde, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.

Amidst ongoing controversy, Indian novelist Arundhati Roy withdrew her participation citing "unconscionable statements" made by jury members, presenting yet another example of how the festival's approach has provoked notable figures within the arts community. Critics assert this ongoing disregard for political engagement undermines the festival's reputation as a platform for advocacy and civil rights, a view reinforced by the experiences of previous filmmakers at the Berlinale who felt pressures to conform to a narrative of silence on such significant global crises, as highlighted by Le Monde, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.