Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton and 80 others sign open letter criticising Berlinale’s ‘silence’ on Gaza

More than 80 current and former participants of the Berlin International Film Festival have signed an open letter criticising the event’s alleged “silence” on Gaza and accusing it of censoring artists who speak out, Variety reports.

The 81 signatories include Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton, Adam McKay, Mike Leigh, Lukas Dhont, Nan Goldin, Miguel Gomes, Tatiana Maslany, Peter Mullan and Tobias Menzies. In the letter, they state that they “expect the institutions in our industry to refuse complicity in the terrible violence that continues to be waged against Palestinians.”

The intervention comes during the 2026 edition of the Berlinale, where political debate has intensified following remarks by jury president Wim Wenders. When asked about Gaza and Germany’s support for Israel, he said filmmaking was “the opposite of politics” and that “we should stay out of politics.” Festival head Tricia Tuttle later responde,: “Artists should not be expected to comment on all broader debates about a festival’s previous or current practices over which they have no control.”

In their letter, the group wrote, “We fervently disagree” and added, “You cannot separate one from the other.”

The signatories allege that filmmakers who expressed support for Palestinians at last year’s festival were reprimanded, with one reportedly investigated by police. The letter references concerns about “institutional repression and anti-Palestinian racism” and cites statements from the Palestine Film Institute criticising the festival’s approach.

It concludes, “We call on the Berlinale to fulfil its moral duty and clearly state its opposition to Israel’s genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against Palestinians, and completely end its involvement in shielding Israel from criticism and calls for accountability.”

The full list of names spans actors, directors and producers from across the international film industry.