The Berlin International Film Festival concluded on Sunday, February 22, 2026, after weeks of controversy sparked by its jury president, Wim Wenders’s, stance on the war in Gaza. The festival’s closing was overshadowed by an open letter signed by over 80 film industry figures, including Javier Bardem and Tilda Swinton, criticizing the Berlinale’s “silence” on the conflict.
The dispute began after Wenders, responding to a journalist’s question on February 12th, stated, “We have to stay out of politics due to the fact that if we made movies that are dedicatedly political, we enter the field of politics, but we are the counterweight to politics.” He further argued that the jury’s role was “the work of people, not the work of politicians.” This statement drew immediate criticism, with some accusing the festival of a “selective treatment of human rights” by offering statements of support for Iran and Ukraine, but not for Palestinians.
Indian author Arundhati Roy publicly withdrew from the festival in protest, stating she was “shocked” by the jury’s position. “We cannot really enter the field of politics,” Wenders had said, a comment Roy found unacceptable. The open letter, coordinated by the Film Workers for Palestine collective, echoed Roy’s concerns, accusing the Berlinale of “involvement in censoring artists who oppose Israel’s ongoing genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.”
Signatories of the letter, published on February 17th, argued that filmmaking and politics are inextricably linked, and called on the festival to “fulfil its moral duty and clearly state its opposition to Israel’s genocide.” They too criticized “the German state’s key role in enabling” Israel’s actions, noting that the German government is the Berlinale’s main financial backer. The letter referenced past statements made by the festival regarding atrocities in Iran and Ukraine, questioning the inconsistency of its response.
Ewa Puszczynska, a Polish film producer and member of the Berlinale jury, defended the jury’s position, stating it was “not fair” to ask judges about government positions on the war. Wenders himself acknowledged the “stormy” atmosphere surrounding the festival, but maintained his stance on the separation of art and politics.
The festival’s attempt to focus on the films themselves was repeatedly disrupted by the ongoing debate. The controversy extended beyond public statements, with accusations of censorship leveled against the festival for its perceived reluctance to address the issue directly. As the festival concluded, no statement addressing the concerns raised by Roy and the signatories of the open letter had been issued by the Berlinale.
