Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy announced her withdrawal from the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), citing “jaw-dropping” and “unconscionable” remarks made by the festival’s jury regarding the war in Gaza. Roy, who was set to present the restored 1989 film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, stated she was “shocked and disgusted” after jury president Wim Wenders insisted that filmmakers should “stay out of politics.”
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The controversy erupted during the festival’s opening press conference when Wenders was questioned about Germany’s military support for Israel. The acclaimed director argued that while movies can change people, they should not be “dedicatedly political,” calling art the “opposite of politics.” Fellow juror Ewa Puszczynska further fueled the fire by labeling questions about Gaza “unfair” and noting that other genocides go undiscussed. In a scathing column for The Wire, Roy countered that such a stance effectively shuts down conversations about crimes against humanity while they are unfolding in real time.
Jury chair Wim Wenders said filmmakers ‘have to stay out of politics’ when asked about German support for Israel’s war. https://t.co/Dvezm1mFXH
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) February 14, 2026
Roy’s exit has triggered a wave of similar protests, with Egyptian directors pulling their archival works from the “Classics” section. While festival director Tricia Tuttle issued a statement defending the jury’s right to free speech, critics argue the Berlinale’s neutrality marks a sharp departure from its traditionally progressive and highly political reputation.
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