The row erupted at the very start of the festival when jury president Wim Wenders was asked about the German government’s support for Israel. Wenders responded: “We cannot really enter the field of politics.” He added that films, while powerful, change the world in ways that are “different from politics.”
However, Wenders’ remarks sparked immediate outrage. Award-winning Indian novelist Arundhati Roy, who had been scheduled to present a restored version of a 1989 film she wrote, withdrew from the festival, describing Wenders’ words as “unconscionable” and “jaw-dropping.”
Tensions escalated when an open letter signed by dozens of industry figures—including actors Javier Bardem and Tilda Swinton, as well as director Adam McKay—condemned the festival for its “silence on the genocide of Palestinians” and accused it of “censoring” artists who oppose Israel’s actions.
Director Tricia Tuttle rejected these accusations, calling some of the claims in the letter “misinformation” and “inaccurate.” Speaking during the awards ceremony for the festival’s Independent Juries, she described the past ten days as “stormy seas” but reiterated her commitment to maintaining the festival as a platform for art.
Directors Speak Out
Mexican director Fernando Eimbcke, whose film Moscas (Flies) was in official competition, used his platform to protest civilian deaths in Gaza and denounce US immigration policies.
“More than 17,000 kids have been killed in Gaza in the last two years,” Eimbcke said. “I should raise my voice and I ask all governments and organisations to raise their voices too.”
He also referenced the controversial arrest of a five-year-old Ecuadorian boy by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), calling for an end to such practices: “ICE should stop persecuting and terrifying kids like Liam Conejo Ramos—ICE out!”
Later on Saturday, the festival’s main International Jury prepared to award the coveted Golden Bear for best film, alongside other honors. The ceremony began at 1700 GMT, capping a festival that combined high-profile premieres with politically charged discourse.
Standout Films and Performances
Among the festival’s standout entries was Anthony Chen’s We Are All Strangers. Set in Singapore, the film is a moving family drama that satirizes the sharp social disparities found amid the city-state’s glittering skyscrapers.
German actress Sandra Hüller drew acclaim for her performance in Rose, directed by Austrian filmmaker Markus Schleinzer. The black-and-white drama tells the story of a woman passing as a man in 17th-century rural Germany to escape patriarchal constraints, earning plaudits from audiences for Hüller’s nuanced performance.
Juliette Binoche also impressed festival-goers in Queen at Sea, directed by Lance Hammer. Portraying a woman caring for her mother with dementia, Binoche’s performance captured the emotional devastation wrought by Alzheimer’s disease on families. This marked Hammer’s first feature film since 2008, and his sensitive storytelling resonated with viewers.
Iranian Voices at the Berlinale
The festival also provided a platform for Iranian filmmakers to confront state repression in their home country. Director Mahnaz Mohammadi, who has been imprisoned in Tehran’s notorious Evin Prison, presented Roya, a harrowing depiction of the psychological and physical impact of incarceration.
Dissident director Jafar Panahi, Palme d’Or winner at Cannes for It Was Just An Accident, addressed the festival to denounce Iran’s violent crackdown on protestors. International organizations estimate that tens of thousands have been killed during these crackdowns.
“An unbelievable crime has happened. Mass murder has happened. People are not even allowed to mourn their loved ones,” Panahi said. “People do not want violence. They avoid violence. It is the regime that forces violence upon them.”
Despite being sentenced in December to one year in prison and receiving a travel ban, Panahi stated his intention to return to Berlin for future engagements, demonstrating the persistence of Iranian artists in confronting oppression.