Berlin Film Festival Says It “Stands Against Right-Wing Extremism” As German & International Industry Decry Opening Ceremony Invitation To Far-Right Politicians

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EXCLUSIVE: A growing list of 200+ film professionals, largely from within the German film industry, have signed an open letter protesting the Berlin Film Festival’s decision to invite members of the German far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to this year’s opening ceremony.

The open letter was launched Friday evening. Signatories (who can be viewed below) include directors, producers, writers, programmers, educators, journalists and students. The group also includes industry from the U.S., UK, and other European countries.

“We, the undersigned, are outraged that invitations have been extended to politicians from the AfD (Alternative for Germany) to the opening ceremony of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival,” the letter began. “We find this to be incompatible with the festival’s commitment to being a place of ‘empathy, awareness, and understanding,’ a declaration shared at its annual press conference on January 19 and published on the festival homepage.”

The letter highlighted a 2019 statement published by the Berlin Film Festival titled “We, the Many,” which singled out far-right groups, saying “right-wing populism” stands in “hostile opposition to the art of the many.”

The open letter drew out the contrast between the festival’s 2019 statement and its 2024 invitations to the right-wing politicians.

“The invitations invalidate these statements and are yet another example of the hostile and hypocritical environment art and culture faces in Berlin and Germany,” the letter reads. “We refuse to normalize or allow right-wing politicians to participate in our spaces.”

The letter adds: “We don’t believe the opening ceremony can be considered a safe place for Jews, women, members of the BIPOC, LGBTI+, disabled, Roma and Sinti, or Jehovah’s Witness communities, who, among others, faced persecution and genocide at the hands of another far-right, national-conservative movement in Germany.”

The Berlin Film Festival confirmed to Deadline that AfD members Kristin Brinker and Ronald Gläser, who were elected to office in the last local elections, were extended invitations as part of festival protocol to invite democratically elected politicians to the festival.

Organizers responded to the open letter in a statement to Deadline:

“Members of the AfD were elected to the Bundestag and the Berlin House of Representatives in the last elections. Accordingly, they are also represented in political cultural committees and other bodies. That is a fact, and we have to accept it as such,” the festival said. “Both the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Berlin Senate receive invitation quotas for the Berlinale, which are allocated to the democratically elected members of all parties in the Bundestag and House of Representatives. It was against this background that the AfD representatives were invited to the Berlinale.”

The statement added: “People – including elected representatives – who act contrary to our fundamental values are not welcome at the Berlinale. We will express this clearly and emphatically in a personal letter to the AfD representatives as well as on other occasions.”

Scroll down to read the full statement, which begins with the Berlinale stating that it stands for “basic democratic values and against right-wing extremism and supports all demonstrations and other initiatives against the undemocratic currents.”

The far-right AfD is currently polling second in Germany and there are fears from many in the industry that the party could sweep local and European elections this summer.

The party’s ideology has been classified as anti-Islam, anti-immigration, German nationalist, Eurosceptic and denying of human-caused climate change. Gläser, one of the AfD politicians invited to the Berlinale opening, previously compared Winston Churchill to Adolf Hitler, describing the former as a “warlord” and a “war-criminal”.

Over the last few weeks, hundreds of thousands of Germans have hit the streets in protest against the party, calling for it to be banned after it was uncovered by independent investigative outlet Correctiv that senior AfD members had discussed a plot to deport asylum-seekers and German citizens of foreign origin en masse if they came to power.

The plan has been widely criticized in the German media, with current Chancellor Olaf Scholz saying it was “reminiscent of the darkest times in German history,” in reference to Hitler’s Third Reich.

The industry open letter ends by asking the Berlin Film Festival to “reconsider and rescind these offensive and insensitive invitations for the safety and well-being of all guests attending the festival.”

Berlinale statement to Deadline:

“The Berlinale stands for basic democratic values and against right-wing extremism and supports all demonstrations and other initiatives against the undemocratic currents. We clearly reject right-wing extremist or right-wing populist thinking and are concerned to observe that anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim resentment, hate speech and other anti-democratic attitudes are on the rise in Germany. For weeks, hundreds of thousands of people have been taking to the streets in Germany to defend our democracy and our values. This sends a clear signal of how the majority in Germany thinks and opposes right-wing populism and anti-democracy.

“A number of members and representatives of the AfD hold positions that are deeply anti-democratic and contradict the values of the Berlinale and the values of our employees. We are committed to opposing all forms of exclusion and discrimination and consistently stand up for the values of an open-minded and liberal democracy.

“As for the invitations of AFD members to the opening of the Berlinale:

“Members of the AfD were elected to the Bundestag and the Berlin House of Representatives in the last elections. Accordingly, they are also represented in political cultural committees and other bodies. That is a fact, and we have to accept it as such. Both the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Berlin Senate receive invitation quotas for the Berlinale, which are allocated to the democratically elected members of all parties in the Bundestag and House of Representatives. It was against this background that the AfD representatives were invited to the Berlinale.

“People – including elected representatives – who act contrary to our fundamental values are not welcome at the Berlinale. We will express this clearly and emphatically in a personal letter to the AfD representatives as well as on other occasions.”

List of industry signatories:

Alexander Dettke, Gründer, Wilde Möhre GmbH, Berlin Inney Prakash, Film programmer, Prismatic Ground, New York Saeed Taji Farouky, Filmmaker & Radical Educator, London Sabine Böbbis, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, Hamburg Charlie Phillips, Producer, Folkestone Suneil Sanzgiri, Filmmaker, New York Advik Beni, Filmmaker, Los Angeles Milagro Chinaglia, Assistant director, Berlin Kathryn Fischer, musician and performer, berlin Alexandrina Ripa, Producer/PM, Freelancer, Berlin Leniko Sennoma, Fine Artist, UdK, Berlin Konstantina Levi, filmmaker, Berlin – Neukölln Wouter Jansen, Sales, Square Eyes, Vienna Claudia Gonzalez, Costume Designer, Berlin Iris Cohen, Production/Post-production, London Laura Kloeckner, Curator and Fillm Producer, Berlin Sarah Paar, Filmmaker, Berlin Alex Billington, Film critic, Berlin Jemma desai, Writer, Programmer, London Moritz Friese, DoP, Berlin Antonella Friese, Veranstalterin, Berlin Marion Schmidt, Cultural Manager / Consultant Thomas Kaske, Producer, Kaske Film, Berlin Hendrik Teltau, Postproduktion, Postfactory GmbH, Berlin timo ackermann, Student, Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, Berlin Joana Georgi, Filmmaker, Berlin Hyun Wanner, Schauspieler, BAFNET, Berlin Benita Bailex, Schauspielerin, Schwarze Filmschaffende e.V., Berlin Jonathan Gustin, DoP, Freelance, Berlin Julian Dieterich, Regisseur, Berlin Peter Bromme, Cinematographer, Peter Bromme, Kamermann, Berlin Dorota Lech, Curator, Toronto Phillip Kaminiak, DOP, Berlin holly paynter, student, berlin Monika Hinz, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, München Kaspar Hornikel, DoP, Berlin Rabih El-Khoury, Film curator, Berlin Sally Shamas, Film Colorist, Berlin Jessica Specker, Kostümbildnerin, Berlin Clara Schulze, Animator, Filmuniversität Konrad Wolf, Potsdam Mirjana Ikuye, Set Kostüm, Hamburg Winnie Wang, Writer, Toronto Manu Scheidt, Line Producer, München Astrid Möldner, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg Claudia Kühlke, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg Daniele Tognozzi, Künstler, Berlin Mechthild Baumsteiger, Kostümbildnerin, Wolfisheim Adèle Aïssi-Guyon, Teacher, Berlin Xenia Gomes Adaes, Producer, Berlin Amil Shivji, Filmmaker, Dar es Salaam Bettina C. Proske, Kostümbild, Hamburg Katja E. Waffenschmied, Kostümbild, Hamburg Ruby Holmer, Managerin, Black Womxn Matter, Berlin Ahmed, Student, Berlin Quinn Herrmann, Student, Filmuniversität Konrad Wolf, Berlin Ewa Ferdynus, London Hamja Ahsan, Artist & Writer, London Mohanad Yaqubi, Idioms Film Benedikt Maurer, Produktionsleiter, B:HP, Hamburg Katharina Mueckstein, Regisseurin, Wien Roxana Safarabadi, Schauspielerin, Hamburg Sophie Riva, Schauspielerin, Berlin Matthias Pöltinger, DoP, Hamburg Yasemin Cec, Actress, Hamburg Chrissie Tiller, PhD Art & Society and artist, Berlin and London Basma al-Sharif, Filmmaker, Berlin Yeji Cho, Actress, Salzburg Eidin Jalali, Actor, Berlin Sonja Madani, DoP, Freelance, Berlin Sherwin Douki, Actor, Heidelberg Leah Elias, Actor, Berlin Rolf Seyfried, Produktionsleiter, München Jane Doe, Festival Worker, Berlinale, Berlin anonymous Elisa Daniel, Cinematographer, Berlin Floriana Bonera, Kostümschaffende, Hamburg Canan Turan, Curator, Berlinale, Berlin Miedya Mahmod, writer, poet, Bochum Marvin Götting, Schauspieler, Engelspost, Hamburg Hari Sriramalu, teacher, Berlin Annika Brose, Tierpflegerin, Hamburg Ina Ivanceanu, Regisseurin, Wien Guevara Namer, Filmmaker, Berlin Henna Gramentz, Office Management, Berlin Mireya Heider de Jahnsen, Screenwriter, Berlin Ayo Tsalithaba, Filmmaker, Toronto Charlie Wanda Kachelmann, Fine Artist, Berlin Dennis Vetter, film critic, Woche der Kritik, Berlin Oliver Zimmermann, Director, Berlin anonymous, Artist & Educator Elhum Shakerifar, Producer, Hakawati, London Blair McClendon, Editor, Writer, New York Andy Grosch, Line Producer, BHP Bundesverband Herstellungs- und Produktionsleitung, Nerlin Nici Zinell, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, Berlin Jannis Stahnsdorf, Produktionsleiter, Freelancer, München Ilja Leptihn, Produktionsleiter, Berlin Melanie iredale, Exhibitor, Reclaim The Frame, Sheffield Maryam Tafakory, Artist, London Claudia Schurian, PL/LP, freelancer, Köln Ruth Schönegge, Film Editor, Berlin Naomi Bechert, Screenwriter, Berlin Mahdi Fleifel, Filmmaker, Copenhagen Divina Kuan, Berlin Benedikt Schwank, Kulturredakteur, Berlin Ashton C Green, Cinematographer, Berlin Mishka Kornai, Filmmaker, Berlin Juri Sternburg, Drehbuchautor, Berlin Nesibe Özdemir, Psychotherapeutin, Berlin Arseny Preobrazhenskiy, DoP, Berlin Trang Vo, Filmstudentin, HFF München, Berlin Elisabeth Scharang, Regisseurin, dieRegisseur*innen, Wien Janina Brinkmann, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg Clara Stern, Regisseurin, Wie Marie Zahir, DoP, Köln Shireen Aga, Berlin Cemil Sorgun, Filmemacher, Berlin Sam Coggin, Writer, Berlin Lucy Overbeck, Berlin Anuka Eichbaum, Designern, DÜSSELDORF Harry Silverlock, Film Producer, Mimic Productions / Palace Collective, Berlin Rioghnach Ni ghrioghair Stefanie Schmauke, Kostümassistentin, Bamberg Victoria Kure-Wu, Digitalkonzepterin, Berlin Sylvie Weber, Regisseurin, Mexico City Laura Wachauf, Editor, Freelance, Munich Judith Hofmann, Produktionsleiterin, Berlin Katharina hingst, Regisseurin, Berlin Julian L. Nicklas, Ingenieur, Berlin sabrina zwach, Jägerstrasse, Theater, Berlin Yony Leyser, Filmmaker, Berlin Natalie Fischer, Filmstudent, Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Potsdam Susann Guenther, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg Ines Kratzmueller, actress, Wien Tiny Mungwe, Producer, STEPS and CTRL ALT Shift, Durban Pit Janzen, Scenenbildner, DFA, München Silke Schmelzer, Kostümbildnerin, München Jeremy Wade, Performance Artist, Berlin Bernadette Weigel, Filmemacherin, Wien Simon Gutknecht, Film Editor, Berlin Daniel Asadi, Regisseur, München Richard Gabriel, Producer, Berlin Markus Mayr, LP/, MÄKSMY Films, München Sybella Stevens, Producer, Berlin Theresia Wogh, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, München Yalhen Rudolph, Art Director, Berlin Susa Lie, UX Designerin, Berlin Laura Nasmyth, Regie, Vienna Karen-Linn Eulert, Kostümassistentin, Berlin Katharina Hantke, Künstlerin, Offenbach Claudia Schröder, DOP, Berlin Bernadette Weber, Kostümbild, Berlin Lena Böckmann, costume maker, Berlin Christiane Schmidt, filmmaker, Berlin Victoria Dietrich, Kostümbildnerin, München Antonia Kilian, Filmmaker, Kassel Monique Küsel, Editorin, Berlin Ina Conrad, Frankfurt Jennifer Rösner, Garderobiere, Erfurt Nadja Lischewski, Project manager, Köln Joseph Bundschuh, Schauspieler, Berlin Marie Noel, Autorin, Schwarze Filmschaffende e.V, Wien Rosanagh Griffiths, Filmmaker, Spinster, Glasgow Martin Darr, Drehbuchautor, Filmzirkel Hannover, Hannover Nadia Khairat, Berlin Marion Schumacher, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg Florian von Bornstädt, Drehbuchautor, Berlin Wayra Schübel, press officer, Wayra Schübel-Art Communication, Berlin Katja Christochowitz, Produktionsleiter, Köln Thea Drechsler, Urbach Jerry Kwarteng, Schauspieler, Schwarze Filmschaffende e.V., Berlin Mika braun, Kostümbildnerin, Vsk/filmakademie, München Jasmina Kuhnke, Autorin, Schwarze Filmschaffende, Köln Carina Cavegn, Szenenbildnerin, München Vivi Thiele, Costume assistence, Hamburg Ayşe, Filmstudentin, Berlin Sinha Melina Gierke, Schauspielerin, Berlin Dominik Wirth, Sprecher, Berlin Valeska Bochow, Produktionsleitung, Bhp, Berlin lara casselman, art director, berlin Hanna Jürgens, Schauspielerin, Regisseurin, Berlin Julenka Werkmeister, Schauspielerin & Produktionsassistentin, Berlin anonymous Willi Rudolph, Fotograf und Filmemacher, Berlin Selina Sondermann, Filmschaffende, Berlin Borislav Salatino, Assistant Producer, The Marmalade Studios GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg Anna M. Sosnik, Schauspielerin, Berlin Franziska van der Heide, Schauspielerin, Berlin Elisabeth Fuxa, Außenrequisiteurin, München Teresa Hoffmann, Studentin, Universität der Künste, Berlin Candice Breitz, Artist, Berlin Sophie Heyer, Kameraassistentin, Berlin Marion Aha, 1.AL, Berlin Sera, Student, Düsseldorf Lilly Krauße, Set Dec Buyer, München Stephanie Traut Arthur Wiechmann, DoP, Freelancer, Berlin Saskia Stirn, Animation Producer, Ludwigsburg Ruby Wilson, Schauspielerin, Berlin Heike Hütt, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, Berlin Jose Fernandes, Aufnahmeleiter, Filmschaffender, Köln/Görlitz Marusch Mehnert, Kamermann, Berlin coco kneffel, filmstudent, berlin Loredana Tassone, Studentin, Berlin

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