EFM Head Dennis Ruh Says He Is Surprised At Non-Renewal Of Contract & Questions New Hiring Process For Berlinale Execs

deadline.com:

Dennis Ruh, whose departure as head of the Berlinale‘s European Film Market after the 2024 edition was announced today, has expressed surprise that his contract has not been renewed and also questioned the festival’s new hiring protocols.

Ruh revealed he was being let go in an earlier statement because incoming festival director Tricia Tuttle had decided to appoint a new EFM head for the 2025 edition.

The market boss said he had not been given a chance to discuss the matter with Tuttle. News of Ruh’s departure, broke a few hours after the surprise announcement of Tuttle as the new Berlinale director, replacing Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek after the 2024 edition.

Ruh, who took up the EFM role in the fall of 2020 amid the challenges of Covid-19 pandemic, said he had expected better treatment on the back of the performance of the market’s 2023 edition, which he described as “a success”. “We really brought the market back in full swing and we broke all records,” he told Deadline in a phone interview. “I’m surprised this success is not honored and that the new designated director just decided to give this position to someone else.” He said there had been a lack of transparency around the hiring of the new EFM director, whose identity has yet to be revealed. “When I was appointed for this position, it was a very transparent process.