Berlinale After Gaza Dispute: Weimer Postpones Decision on Tricia Tuttle's Future

The future of Tricia Tuttle, director of the Berlinale, remains unresolved following a dispute sparked by winners' statements during the festival's finale. According to reports from several editorial offices, the speeches included accusations of Germany's complicity in "genocide" in the Gaza Strip, which triggered reactions from politicians and a debate about the boundaries of free speech at an event funded by public money. Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer did not announce immediate personnel decisions after crisis talks; however, some media outlets emphasize that the ministry considered a change in leadership and expects a course correction for the festival. Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner called for the festival not to become a tool for one-sided messages. „Berlinale darf nicht für Propaganda genutzt werden” (Berlinale must not be used for propaganda) — Kai Wegner ponad 500 — signatures on the support letter Festival staff and collaborators came to Tuttle's defense by signing a letter in which they opposed making her solely responsible for the statements of independent artists. Separate declarations of support also came from the film industry, including from hundreds of filmmakers, and part of the Israeli film community – according to trade press reports – argued that the festival should remain a space for debate and not succumb to censorship pressure. „open debate and non-censorship” — Israeli film community At the same time, Tuttle's critics point out that the management is responsible for the gala's framework, the selection of messages, and the institution's response in a situation of escalating dispute. The matter became part of a broader political conflict: The Greens rejected demands for resignation, and Claudia Roth publicly criticized commentator Wolfram Weimer, accusing him of attempting to politically instrumentalize culture. Some press commentaries describe the crisis as the most serious in the festival's history and warn that prolonging uncertainty could damage the event's credibility and cooperation with the industry. Berlinale was founded during the Cold War as an element of West Berlin's soft power. Over the decades, the festival developed an identity based on artistic ambition and political engagement, which regularly sparked disputes about the boundaries of artistic freedom in public institutions. In the background of the Berlinale dispute, German media simultaneously reported on the conclusion of Chancellor Friedrich Merz's visit to China, where – according to several editorial offices – criticism of Beijing remained cautious, and the thread of overproduction and Germany's economic dependence on China dominated over political warnings. Reports also indicated a lack of major business breakthroughs, although Reuters described Mercedes' announcement of introducing an advanced driver assistance system, developed in cooperation with the Chinese company Momenta, in upcoming models such as the new CLA class. In the public debate, both threads – the festival dispute and the cautious line towards China – became, for some commentators, a test of the new Berlin government's governing style and its ability to manage crises in the realm of symbols and interests.

Perspektywy mediów: Liberal media emphasize cultural autonomy and the risk of political pressure on the festival. Conservative media emphasize the responsibility of a public institution for preventing one-sided propaganda.