The Berlinale 2024 comes to an end with Palestinian scarves hanging around their necks and anti-Israeli slogans. After a solid and woke film program, a few directors quickly highlighted the strong political Max at the end.
The atmospheric and political consequences of the award ceremony, at which Israel was accused of “genocide” against the Palestinians, are now being hotly debated. After the Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Söder (or his public relations sheriffs) spoke about the messenger service “X” from far away Bavaria, Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth’s hut is on fire once again.
“What happened at the Berlinale horrifies us,” said Söder, taking a swipe at the green cultural agenda. “This open anti-Semitism in the cultural scene is frightening. It turns out that Documenta is not an isolated case. This case of open anti-Semitism must be fully investigated. Claudia Roth must finally end her blaring silence.”
The person who has been called into responsibility must first gain time. “Together with the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner, and the Berlin Senate, who share responsibility for the Berlinale with us, we will now deal with the events at the Bear Awards,” said Roth, who was under pressure from all sides. Officials say it should be examined “how the Berlinale has lived up to its claim of being a place for diversity, different perspectives and dialogue” or not.
She wants to clarify “how it can be ensured in the future that the Berlinale is a place that is free from hatred, agitation, anti-Semitism, racism, anti-Muslimism and any form of misanthropy.” For the new Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle, who will take up her post in April ’24, there’s a lot waiting for her in terms of “picking up the pieces”, when it’s actually supposed to be about reorienting film art and the recently gray festival aura
The Berlin “Tagesspiegel” and local tabloid newspapers such as the “BZ” were meanwhile on armchair patrol at the end of the festival. Berlin’s Governing Mayor and State Ministries Roth are mocked while sitting and moving their hands: “Hate against Jews. Scandal Berlinale! Roth and Wegner clap for anti-Israel speech,” says a corresponding headline.
Claudia Roth, who is under pressure from many sides, for her part starts the one-side/on-the-other-hand machine: “Together with her, we will draw the necessary conclusions from the processing of this Berlinale. However, I would like to emphasize very clearly that the artistic freedom and independence of the Berlinale must not be compromised. I clearly reject such demands. However, this curatorial freedom also comes with great responsibility.”
The excitation propellers rotate. It’s now too late to be prudent or to try not to attach too much importance to the few pre-potent performances. Israeli Ambassador Ron Prosor is now even saying that the “German cultural scene” rolls out the red carpet “exclusively for artists” who are committed to “delegitimizing Israel.”
He emphatically calls on this very scene: “Your silence, the so-called “cultural elite”, is deafening! It’s time to speak out and reject this grotesque charade. Act now or be part of this shameful legacy forever.”