Monday 26, February
“An emotional and moral low point”: Statements over Israel-Palestine divide Berlinale
When No Other Land, a film about the displacement of Palestinians on Gaza’s West Bank, won the documentary film award, the film’s director (Palestinian filmmaker Basel Adra) made reference to the Israeli army’s current attacks on Gaza: “It is very hard for me celebrate when there are thousands of my people being slaughtered by Israel in Gaza”. The documentary’s co-director (Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham) also spoke of a system of “apartheid” in the West Bank. Abraham and Adra were applauded by the audience.
Later in the night when the documentary DIRECT ACTION was honoured in another category, its director (US filmmaker Ben Russell) accepted the award wearing a keffiyeh, telling the audience: “Of course we are also standing up for life here. Ceasefire now!” Russell too was applauded.
The expressions of Palestinian solidarity at the Berlinale awards ceremony on Saturday have faced sharp criticism from German politicians. “Berlin has a clear stance when it comes to defending freedom. This also means that Berlin is firmly on Israel’s side…I expect measures from the new Berlinale festival management”, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner told rbb.
Ron Prosor, Israel’s Ambassador to Germany, has criticised Germany’s cultural scene as a whole, writing on X: “At the Berlinale, Antisemitic and anti-Israel statements were greeted with thunderous applause.” “I perceived this as an emotional and moral low point,” commented Green Party politician Daniela Billig. Her party’s cultural policy spokesperson has also noted: “I fear there will be political damage to the Berlinale… The cultural scene has done itself a disservice.”
