Around thirty employees of the Berlin Film Festival, which kicks off on February 15, published an open letter to the festival demanding condemnation of the war in Gaza and calling for a ceasefire. Among those who signed the letter are selection committee members for the festival's various sections, moderators, and guest liaisons. "We join a global solidarity movement to demand an immediate ceasefire and call for the release of all hostages," the letter reads.
The letter was a response from festival employees to the official statement made by Berlinale co-heads Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian on January 19. In the statement, the festival directors emphasized their sympathy for "all victims of the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East and elsewhere" and adhered to a strict policy of "taking a firm stand against all forms of discrimination."
However, the reaction from the festival management seemed too restrained to the letter's authors. "As the world bears witness to an inconceivable loss of civilian life in Gaza – including those of journalists, artists, and film workers – as well as the destruction of unique cultural heritage, we need stronger institutional stances," the letter says. "We expect the festival to take a stance consistent with those taken in response to other events that have struck the international community in recent years." The letter's authors also lamented that there were no discussions planned at the festival about events in the Middle East.
However, the Berlinale is holding a TinyHouse event during the festival where visitors can "have an open dialogue about the war in Israel and Gaza," according to the program. "Rather than a large town square, a more intimate space is available to anyone interested in having a more personal discussion." The project is run by two social activists: former actor with Israeli roots Shai Hoffmann, who lives in Germany, and German Palestinian Jouanna Hassoun.
The festival runs from Feb. 15-25, and the TinyHouse will be open from Feb. 17-19.
