FAQs Dialogue & Exchange

All of our guests have a right to free speech within the bounds of the law. We also stand by the right of our filmmakers to talk about the impulses behind their work and their experiences of the world. The Berlinale welcomes different points of view, even if this creates tension or controversy. At the same time, we aim to create an environment in which we can listen and learn from each other, and we ask for respectful dialogue and a certain cultural sensitivity. We also ask guests to understand that when they speak out as is protected under free speech, people may disagree. This is also free speech.

Germany has very far-reaching freedom of speech laws, which end only where they infringe the rights of others, become discriminatory, or violate public order and safety. The Berlinale will protect free speech and ensure that stated personal opinions of national and international guests are and remain under this law.

There are many different viewpoints on last year's Awards Ceremony within Germany, and we do not collapse these into a singular perspective. As the new management, we have taken a review of this very seriously and have consulted widely. We understand that many people were troubled by a perceived one sidedness, rather than individual statements made by filmmakers. Ultimately, creating balance across the festival and making space for different perspectives is the responsibility of the Berlinale rather than individual films or filmmakers. Also in preparation of the new festival, we have worked on our moderators training and our frameworks for creating environments for respectful and safe exchange.

The ‘"Antisemitism Resolution" is not a legally binding document and therefore doesn't have an impact on the way the Berlinale is run. It contains valid aspects with regard to the warning of growing antisemitism in Germany and internationally. We share the opinion along with other people in Germany, that, if legally enforced, other aspects of the resolution would interfere with the fundamental rights of free art and speech. We also disagree with the sweeping categorisation of the Berlinale 2024 in the resolution as "antisemitic". The Berlinale has no tolerance for antisemitism.

No, this is not true. The Berlinale has not changed its own accreditation or hospitality guidelines. In the autumn of 2024, an ambiguity in the general house rules of our umbrella organisation, the KBB, became known to us when it was shared on social media. We support the interest of our guests and filmmakers in receiving precise information and we immediately requested a clarifying change which was implemented. The paragraph in question referred solely to a standard German legal provision regarding the wearing and use of prohibited symbols and signs that are demonstrably punishable by law, such as the swastika. Wearing or displaying other signs and symbols of national or political expression or solidarity (e.g. a watermelon pin, a Keffiyeh, etc.) is not forbidden and is fully covered by freedom of expression laws.

As a public event, the Berlinale is bound by the laws of Germany, and a very far-reaching freedom of speech law applies here.

As a festival team we feel great empathy for people who feel excluded by language and it is our sincere hope to create spaces where everyone feels they can join in the dialogue. Most dialogue related to the Israel/Gaza conflict is considered an expression of personal opinion and therefore protected by law. However, the phrase "From the River to the Sea" requires particular care, and there have been cases where it has been prosecuted in the state of Berlin.

More generally, some language may have additional cultural significance in Germany because of the Holocaust and the country's culture of remembrance and reconciliation. This is not to say that we avoid dialogue on these issues, but greater sensitivity in language can lead to more meaningful understanding.