TOrundhati Roy it won’t be at Berlinale as previously announced. The Indian writer decided to give up the event (which began last February 12th and will continue until the 28th) due to a series of statements Of Win Wenders, President of the jury of 76th edition.
Wim Wenders’ statements
It all happened during the press conference to present the event, when the German director expressed the his point of view on how cinema should deal with the Gaza conflict and, more generally, political issues.
For him, directors should «Stay out of politics», because if they make «expressly political films, we enter that field». According to Wenders, however, cinema should be a sort of counterweight: “We must do the work of the people, not that of politicians.”
Wim Wenders during the press conference to present the Berlinale (Photo by Marina Takimoto/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock).
The noise of the world
TO The Republic, a few days ago Wenders had clarified his position: «We live in a time in which more noise is produced than ever, because there are people in power who think they have to make noise every day to remind us that they exist». And again: «For a while I was a victim of it too: I followed the news daily and that noise was deafening. Now I don’t even know what noise these people make anymore, and I know that all this will pass, while cinema will remain.”
The writer and activist Arundhati Roy (Ansa).
Arundhati Roy’s position
Phrases that aroused the indignation of Arundhati Roy and which pushed her to make a drastic decision. «Hearing them say that art shouldn’t be political it left me speechless», the author declared to the Indian magazine The Wire, «It’s a way to end a debate about a crime against humanity, just as it is unfolding before our eyes in real time, when artists, writers and directors should do everything they can to stop it», he added. Arundhati Roy said she was “deeply disturbed by the positions taken by the German government and several German cultural institutions on Palestine”, while stressing that she received “political solidarity when I expressed my opinions on the Gaza genocide to the German public”.
Arundhati Roy in Berlin
The writer and activist therefore reiterated how important the role of culture and its stance are in situations like this. «If the greatest directors and artists of our time cannot stand up and speak about this openly, let them know that history will judge them. I am shocked and disgusted. With deep regret, I must announce that I will not be present at the Berlinale.” Arundhati Roy was supposed to attend the Festival for the screening of the restored version of In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, Anglo-Indian TV film from 1989, written and performed by herself. Directed by Pradip Krishen, it tells the story of a young architecture student, Anand “Annie” Grover, played by Arjun Raina. Arundhati Roy is her friend Rahda. No chance he’ll change his mind about his presence, at least so far. The rift with Wenders appears incurable.
