Arundhati Roy Quits Berlinale 2026 Over Wim Wenders’ Politics Comment
BERLIN Feb 13— In a move that has sent shockwaves through the international film community, Booker Prize-winning author and activist Arundhati Roy announced on Friday her withdrawal from the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale).
The decision comes as a direct protest against comments made by the festival’s jury president, celebrated German director Wim Wenders, who suggested that filmmakers and artists should “stay out of politics” concerning the ongoing crisis in Gaza.
The Spark: Wenders’ Call for Neutrality
The controversy erupted during the festival’s opening press conference on Thursday. When asked about the festival’s stance on the war in Gaza and Germany’s support for Israel, Wenders argued for a separation between art and statecraft.
“We have to stay out of politics because if we make movies that are dedicatedly political, we enter the field of politics,” Wenders stated. “But we are the counterweight of politics… we have to do the work of people, not the work of politicians.”
Wenders further added that while “movies can change the world,” they do so by changing people’s minds rather than influencing politicians’ decisions.
Roy’s Response: “Shocked and Disgusted”
Roy, who was scheduled to attend the screening of the newly restored 1989 classic In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones (which she wrote), released a blistering statement on Friday morning. She described Wenders’ stance as a “way of shutting down a conversation about a crime against humanity.”
“To hear them say that art should not be political is jaw-dropping,” Roy’s statement read. “It is a way of silencing the reality of genocide as it unfolds before us in real time. If the greatest filmmakers of our time cannot stand up and say so, history will judge them.”
Roy emphasized that while she has historically found solidarity with German audiences, the “unconscionable” remarks from the Berlinale jury made her attendance impossible.
A Festival Under Pressure
The Berlinale has long been considered the most “political” of the “Big Three” film festivals (alongside Cannes and Venice). However, this year’s edition has been plagued by accusations of “selective solidarity.”
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Protests: Activists have pointed out the festival’s vocal support for Ukraine and Iranian dissidents, contrasting it with a perceived “neutrality” on Palestine.
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Technical Glitches: The press conference livestream notably cut out briefly during the most heated questioning regarding Gaza, an incident organizers later attributed to “technical issues.”
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Star Silence: Actors Michelle Yeoh and Neil Patrick Harris also made headlines on Friday by sidestepping political questions, echoing Wenders’ sentiment of focusing strictly on the craft of cinema.
What This Means for the 2026 Berlinale
Roy’s exit marks the most high-profile withdrawal from the festival so far. It reframes the 2026 Golden Bear race not around the films themselves, but around the moral responsibility of the artists behind them.
As the festival continues through February 22, the “Berlin spirit” of open debate is facing its toughest test yet. For Roy, the message is clear: Neutrality in the face of mass violence is not neutrality at all.
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