More Than 80 Berlin Film Festival Alumni Sign Gaza Letter

More than 80 actors, directors, and film professionals associated with the Berlin Film Festival have signed an open letter urging organizers to take a clear position on Israel’s war in Gaza, according to a statement published Tuesday.

The letter, published in Variety, calls on the Berlinale to “fulfil its moral duty” by explicitly opposing what the signatories describe as “genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against Palestinians.” Among those backing the appeal are actors Tilda Swinton, Javier Bardem, Alia Shawkat, and Brian Cox, as well as filmmaker Adam McKay and director Mike Leigh.

“We are appalled by Berlinale’s institutional silence,” the letter states, arguing that festival authorities have failed to issue a statement affirming Palestinians’ right to life or safeguarding artists’ freedom to speak on the issue. “This is the least it can — and should — do,” the signatories wrote.

The festival did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Festival Under Scrutiny

Often described as the most political of the major European film festivals alongside Cannes and Venice, the Berlin Film Festival has long emphasized showcasing films from underrepresented communities and emerging talent. However, it has faced recurring criticism from pro-Palestinian activists who argue the event has not taken a stance on Gaza, unlike its vocal responses to other global conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and developments in Iran.

Calls for the entertainment industry to adopt positions on the Gaza conflict have intensified over the past year. In 2025, more than 5,000 actors and industry figures signed a pledge to avoid working with Israeli film institutions they considered complicit in the alleged mistreatment of Palestinians. Paramount later distanced itself from that initiative, publicly rejecting the boycott effort.

Jury President Controversy

Tuesday’s letter also criticized remarks by this year’s jury president, German director Wim Wenders, who suggested filmmakers should refrain from engaging in politics. “You cannot separate one from the other,” the signatories wrote in response.

Wenders’ comments drew backlash from several artists, including Indian author Arundhati Roy, who withdrew from the festival earlier this week. Roy, scheduled to present the 1989 film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones in the Berlinale’s Classics section, described the director’s remarks as “unconscionable.”

In a prior response to the controversy, festival director Tricia Tuttle defended artists’ choices regarding political expression. “Free speech is happening at the Berlinale,” she said, while noting that filmmakers are increasingly pressured to address political questions and often criticized regardless of their responses.