As DN previously reported, author Arundhati Roy has decided to boycott this year’s Berlin Film Festival. The decision was a protest against “the inappropriate statements” made by some members of the Golden Bear jury regarding Gaza. Last but not least, this year’s chairman Wim Wenders, who said, among other things, that the film world should stay away from politics.
Other festival-goers were also criticized for dodging political topics, including actors such as Rupert Grint, Neil Patrick Harris and this year’s honoree Michelle Yeoh, who called on everyone to “focus on what’s important to us, which is the film”. The British festival director Tricia Tuttle was also criticized because she did everything at the opening press conference to steer the conversation away from politics.
“It is unreasonable to expect artists to comment on all debates”
On Saturday evening chose Tricia Tuttle in response to the “media storm surrounding the Berlinale”. In a long open letter, she defends the right of filmmakers to use their freedom of expression as they wish and believes that there are different ways to be political:
“It is unreasonable to expect artists to speak out on all debates,” says Tuttle, continuing:
“We don’t believe there is a single filmmaker at this year’s festival who is indifferent to what is happening in the world or who does not take seriously the rights, lives and immense suffering of the people of Gaza and the West Bank, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Iran, Ukraine, Minneapolis and a frightening number of other places.”
Maybe that’s the question particularly sensitive because the Berlin Festival has politics in its DNA. The festival was founded in West Berlin in 1951 as a “showcase for the free world”. Since then, the festival has had an open political profile. On Saturday, Charli XCX praised the Berlin festival for “making a commitment to not backing down from political films.”
Tricia Tuttle is aware of the festival’s political legacy, but at the same time believes that artists are “free to exercise their freedom of expression as they wish:
“It is unreasonable to expect artists to comment on a broader debate about a festival’s past or present practices over which they have no control. Nor should they be expected to comment on every political issue raised if they do not want to,” writes Tuttle, who ends his 120-word statement with:
“We continue this work because we love films, but we also hope and believe that films can change things – even if it happens slowly, touching people, one heart or mind at a time.”
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