Cinema: Berlin summons Berlinale leaders after anti-Israeli speech

The German government announced the summons this Thursday of the directors of the parent company of the Berlinale, after a closing ceremony marked by the speech of a Syrian-Palestinian director accusing Germany of being “complicit” in “genocide” against the Palestinians, through its support for Israel.

According to the newspaper Bild, which cites sources close to the company in question, KBB, festival director Tricia Tuttle is to be dismissed from her position during this meeting.

Questioned by AFP, the Ministry of Culture confirmed on Wednesday that the “extraordinary meeting of the KBB supervisory board” would be held “at the initiative of Minister Wolfram Weimer” who chairs it. A spokesperson for the latter spoke of a meeting on the “future direction” of the festival. The ministry declined to “comment further on other speculations.”

Questioned by AFP about a possible dismissal, the KBB mentioned “false information” without elaborating.

Open letter

Tricia Tuttle, 56, experienced a second edition at the head of the tormented Berlinale, crossed by a debate on the political positioning or not of filmmakers, with the conflict in the Middle East as a backdrop.

More than 80 film professionals criticized in an open letter the “silence” of the Berlinale on the war in Gaza, accusing the festival of censoring artists “who reject the genocide” committed according to them by Israel in Gaza. Tricia Tuttle has denied his accusations.

Awarded on Saturday evening for his film “Chronicles from the Siege”, Syrian-Palestinian director Abdullah Al-Khatib accused the German government of being “complicit in the genocide committed in Gaza by Israel”. The only government representative present at the awards ceremony, the Social Democratic Minister of the Environment Carsten Schneider then left the room.

In addition to this speech, Minister Weimer would criticize Tricia Tuttle for posing in a photo with the film crew, surrounded by several men dressed in keffiyehs and brandishing a Palestinian flag.

Contacted by AFP to find out the reason for Wolfram Weimer’s absence at the closing ceremony, the Ministry of Culture did not respond.