Berlin film festival chief denies censorship on Gaza

Berlin International Film Festival director Tricia Tuttle has rejected accusations of censorship in response to an open letter from actors, directors and writers about the war in Gaza.

It was not true the festival had been "silencing" or "intimidating" filmmakers, Tuttle told German news agency dpa.

Tuttle said she was surprised by the letter and found it "incredibly difficult" to read.

The trade publication Variety had published an open letter from dozens of filmmakers, including Spanish actor Javier Bardem, US photographer Nan Goldin and British actor Tilda Swinton, accusing the festival, known as the Berlinale, of failing to take a clear stance on the war in Gaza.

They said they were appalled by the Berlinale's "institutional silence on the genocide of Palestinians" after the festival had taken clear positions on atrocities in Iran and Ukraine.

Israel denies committing genocide in the Gaza Strip, a position also held by the German government.

When asked about her position on Gaza, Tuttle said she was "deeply troubled" by the loss of civilian life.

"I really call on Israel to make sure that they obey international law. I also think that governments and partners of Israel need to make sure that they're obeying international law to protect civilian life," she said.

However, she described the issue as a "complex conversation".

"We know that to present people as pro-Palestine or pro-Israel is compressing the most complex range of perspectives, that it just doesn't do justice to the conversations that we need to have around one of the most difficult and polarising conversations of our time," Tuttle said.

"For the festival to make pronouncements, I think, is really dangerous because it closes down the space and it tells people that they're not invited to the conversation and that they're not welcome to express their views."

Tuttle also criticised the way comments by jury president Wim Wenders had been handled.

The signatories of the letter had taken issue with remarks he made at a press conference when asked about the Middle East conflict.

The director of Perfect Days and Paris, Texas said "movies can change the world", but "not in a political way", and the filmmakers "have to stay out of politics".

Tuttle said only a short excerpt of his comments had been highlighted in videos, which she found upsetting.

Wenders "has shown immense care for humanity" over a five-decade career, she said. "He's made us see people who might be invisible".

"I think for people to take a soundbite and misrepresent that ... I think, is a real injustice."