Overview
- Arundhati Roy canceled her Berlinale appearance, calling jury comments about staying out of politics "jaw-dropping" and saying they suppress discussion of alleged crimes in Gaza.
- At an opening press conference, jury president Wim Wenders said the jury must stay out of politics, and juror Ewa Puszczyńska deemed the Palestine question unfair and very complicated.
- Festival organizers said they respect Roy’s decision and regret her absence, and her restored 1989 film remains scheduled to screen without her.
- In late-night statements, director Tricia Tuttle criticized media expectations for quick political soundbites and affirmed that artists choose if and how to answer such questions.
- The episode has sharpened debate at the federally funded festival over whether guests are obliged to make public statements on the Gaza war and how cultural institutions should handle those pressures.