New Berlinale chief Tricia Tuttle says Germany’s Israel-Gaza stance poses threat to festival

Is Germany’s stance on Gaza leading artists to avoid one of Europe’s top film festivals?  

According to the Berlin Film Festival’s new director, that may be the case.

Tricia Tuttle, who previously ran the BFI London Film Festival and succeeds Carlo Chatrian and Mariëtte Rissenbeek after having been appointed by Germany’s Culture Minister Claudia Roth, is about to helm her first edition this coming February. She has said that the impression Germany is giving with regards to controlling free speech on the Middle East conflict is directly affecting her first edition in charge, and that there are fears that criticism of Israel would be condemned as antisemitism in Germany.

Last month, the German parliament passed a resolution on the protection of Jewish life, a controversial move that has led opponents to say that it equates criticism of Israel with antisemitism.

“People are worried about: ‘Does it mean I won’t be allowed to speak? Does it mean that I won’t be able to allowed to express empathy or sympathy for the victims in Gaza? Does it mean that I, if I say this, then I also have to say this at the same time?,’ explained Tuttle to The Guardian.

“People are really uncertain about it. And I’ve talked to artists who are questioning whether they want to come,” she added.

Tuttle added that some filmmakers, whom she did not name, had questioned how free they would be to express themselves about the conflict, adding that her team were working to reassure the talent that “we are the Berlinale that they’ve always known and loved - that’s pluralistic and embraces many, many different perspectives”.

Adding to fears is the controversy that took place at this year’s awards ceremony, where Golden Bear winner Mati Diop, who won for her