The new Berlinale Head of Tricia Tuttle had been prepared for one-sided propalestinic statements and Israel criticism Criticism of the final gala last year promised. Freedom of expression only covers cancellations within the democratic spectrum.
However, as it became public on Monday, another anti -Semitic incident occurred on February 15 at the premiere of the film “Queer Panorama” by British director Jun Li in Urania. The “Berliner Zeitung” first reported.
At the premiere of his film, the director read a statement by the main actor Erfan Shekarriz, who had boycotted an appearance at the festival: “While you see this film, millions of Palestinians suffer from the brutal, financed by the west, settler colonialism of Israel.”
Germany and its cultural institutions, including the Berlinale, made the complicity guilty of the Israeli government with the “apartheid, genocide and brutal killing”. The speech ended with the slogan „From the River to the Sea“which is punishable depending on the context in Germany.
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Nun the police protection of the state criminal office is investigating. The process is being examined, said a spokesman for the Berlin police. The state security is responsible for political crimes.
Tricia Tuttle expresses her regret
A video of the speech was shared in the Instagram appearance of the counter-festival Palinale (self-description: “Radical and Political Art Forms Aiming to Connect the Dots and People”). Reactions in the audience protest against the statement can also be heard in it, and applause is only stated.
Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle explained her regret about the incident on Monday: “We pointed out our guests in advance which political statements are particularly sensitive and which may be punishable. We would like to emphasize that we made it very clear on stage that evening that No place for discrimination, anti -Semitism and anti -Muslim racism at the Berlinale is. We also expressed our sympathy with those in the audience who felt injured by the statements made. “
We pointed out our guests in advance which political statements are particularly sensitive and which may be punishable.
Tricia Tuttle, Berlinale director
At least the excerpt of the video that was posted on Instagram does not confirm this statement. The moderator stands on stage next to the director and tries twice to interrupt the speaker, but does not interrupt the statement.
The Central Council of Jews in Germany wrote on platform X with a view of the Berlinale incident and the Islamist terrorist organization Hamas: “The fact that applause for Hamas slogans is stunned. (…) We assume that such behavior will be sanctioned accordingly. “
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According to the “picture” the LKA is now also switched on And investigates on suspicion of anti -Semitism. It was already the second incident at the festival after this year’s honorary bear winner Tilda Swinton described herself on Friday in the press conference as a supporter of the anti-Israeli campaign Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS). This movement is also suspected of anti -Semitism.
The incident again shows how narrow the ridge is, at which German cultural festivals move with an international orientation since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.
The attempt to limit the freedom of art with the threat of deletion of funding had already described Christoph Möllers a year ago in an expert opinion commissioned by Claudia Roth as legally complicated. But as the Berlinale shows again, the commitment to cultural institutions is also within its limits.