Hundreds of filmmakers have expressed support for Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle in an open letter, warning against political interference. Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer has called an extraordinary supervisory board meeting where Tuttle's future may be decided. The letter emphasizes the importance of artistic freedom amid debates on the Middle East conflict.
Nearly 700 filmmakers, including Tom Tykwer, Tilda Swinton, and Todd Haynes, have signed an open letter circulated by a film agency. They express concern over the debates surrounding the Berlinale and call for the protection of artistic freedom and institutional independence. "If a decision on the future of the festival's leadership is made in an extraordinary meeting, more is at stake than a personnel matter. It concerns the handling of artistic freedom and institutional independence," the letter states.
Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer has convened an extraordinary supervisory board meeting of the Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH for Thursday, February 26, 2026. According to reports from the "Bild" newspaper, American Tricia Tuttle, who has led the Berlinale since 2024, could be dismissed prematurely. Neither Weimer's spokesperson nor the Berlinale has commented on this.
The Deutsche Filmakademie and the Europäische Filmakademie have also backed Tuttle. The Deutsche Filmakademie, represented by Vicky Krieps and Florian Gallenberger and signed by figures such as Iris Berben, Margarethe von Trotta, Wim Wenders, and İlker Çatak, warned against political interference and urged those responsible to preserve the Berlinale's independence. "This attempt at interference is a dangerous signal that extends far beyond the festival," their letter stated.
During the 2026 Berlinale, controversies arose over the Middle East conflict. Filmmakers like Swinton and Javier Bardem criticized the festival's stance on the Gaza war in a letter. A speech by Syrian-Palestinian director Abdallah Alkhatib, in which he accused the German government of being a partner in the "genocide in the Gaza Strip," prompted protests; Environment Minister Carsten Schneider left the room. Israel's government and the German government reject the genocide accusation, emphasizing self-defense following the terrorist attack on October 7, 2023.
The support letter notes that criticized statements came from invited guests, not the leadership. "If personnel consequences are derived from individual remarks or symbolic interpretations, a problematic signal emerges: Cultural institutions come under political pressure," the signatories warn. "If every controversy leads to institutional consequences, discourse turns into control."
