What is going on with Berlin Film Festival and German far-right party AfD?

The Berlin Film Festival has disinvited members of the German far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) from attending the opening gala of this year’s 74th edition of the Berlinale. 

Up until recently, the festival was standing by its decision to extend an invitation to the AfD, as part of a standard invitation to Berlin state parliamentarians across the party spectrum.

The Berlinale had even received backing from Claudia Roth, Green politician and Germany’s federal commissioner for culture, whose office stated that the Berlinale’s decision to invite members of the AfD was “in accordance with democratic practice and the federal government’s respect for the parliament and its elected delegates.

But now, the directors of the Berlinale - Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian – have made a U-turn, citing recent reports on the AfD’s alleged mass deportation plans.

Indeed, there have been reports that AfD politicians have held meetings with neo-Nazi activists, and had discussed a “masterplan” for mass deportations in the event of the party coming to power.

“Especially in light of the revelations that have been made in recent weeks about explicitly anti-democratic positions and individual politicians of the AfD, it is important for us – as the Berlinale and as a team – to take an unequivocal stand in favour of an open democracy,” read the statement put out by the directors of the festival.

“We have therefore today written to all previously invited AfD politicians and informed them that they are not welcome at the Berlinale.”

The Berlinale had previously issued a statement regarding its decision to invite members of the AfD to the opening ceremony. The festival had confirmed that AfD members Kristin Brinker and Ronald Gläse were