Berlinale's Spotlight Shifts as Political Debate Eclipses Films
At Berlinale, almost 300 films are on display, but coverage has been dominated by politics—questions about Gaza, Israeli policy, and democratic rights—sparking backlash over filmmakers’ role and prompting defenses from festival leaders while signees like Arundhati Roy and other stars urge stronger stands; organizers emphasize keeping cinema in focus as heated exchanges and open letters reveal the festival’s fraught relationship with politics.