Berlin Festival Deals With Impact of the Gaza War, Filmmaker Protests and Cancellations
variety.comBerlinale, which looks to be one of the most politically charged editions in recent history. Several filmmakers have already canceled their participation to the festival in protest of Germany’s attitude towards Palestinian voices, while more than 50 Berlinale workers have signed an open letter this week demanding a ceasefire in Gaza and asking that the festival leadership take a “stronger institutional stance” on what the statement calls “the current assault on Palestinian life” and calling on the festival to take a stance that is “consistent with those taken in response to other events that have struck the international community in recent years.” The war in Gaza followed Hamas’ attacks on Israel on Oct.
7, which resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 250 hostages taken. As the death toll continues to rise, with nearly 30,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza — a region governed by Hamas since 2006 — many attendees are drawing parallels with Russia’s war in Ukraine.
They argue that the Berlinale’s muted response to the conflict in Gaza is reflective of a double standards. “When the war in Ukraine began, or when there were demonstrations happening against the regime in Iran last year, they showed endless support to these causes, yet Gaza is now being totally ignored,” says Berlin-based Palestinian director and artist Kamal Aljafari (“Paradiso, XXXI, 108,” “An Unusual Summer”).
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