Film Festival
Berlinale responds to criticism of invited AfD politicians
The Berlinale management duo, Mariette Rissenbeek, managing director, and Carlo Chatrian, artistic director, are on stage at the announcement of the 2024 Berlinale program. photo
© Jens Kalaene/dpa
Invitations to the opening of the Berlinale to representatives of the AfD caused criticism online. Now the festival management has reacted.
After criticism of invitations for AfD politicians At the opening of the Berlinale, the festival management explained the background and spoke out against right-wing extremism. Members of the AfD represent deeply anti-democratic positions that contradict the values of the Berlinale and its employees, according to a statement distributed in English on the Berlinale’s Instagram account on Sunday. It is marked with the name of director Mariette Rissenbeek.
Regarding the background of the invitations, the festival management also explained in response to a dpa request that the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media and the Berlin Senate received invitation contingents for the Berlinale, which are awarded to the democratically elected members of all parties in the Bundestag and the House of Representatives.
AfD members were elected to the Bundestag and the House of Representatives and are therefore also represented in political cultural committees and other committees. “This is a fact and we have to accept it as such,” it said. The Berlinale does not name those invited.
Anyone who does not represent democratic values is not welcome
“We are committed to opposing any form of exclusion and discrimination and consistently stand up for the values of a cosmopolitan and liberal democracy,” the statement continued. “People – including elected officials – who violate these fundamental values are not welcome at the Berlinale.” This will be expressed clearly and emphatically in personal letters to AfD representatives and on other occasions.
The Berlinale emphasized that it stands “for basic democratic values and against right-wing extremism” and supports all demonstrations and other initiatives against undemocratic currents. “We clearly reject right-wing extremist or right-wing populist ideas and observe with concern that anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim sentiment, hate speech and other anti-democratic attitudes are on the rise in Germany.”
An open letter to the film festival
In an open letter on the Internet dated February 2nd, which can no longer be found online, the withdrawal of two invitations to AfD politicians was called for. According to US media reports, hundreds of people, including filmmakers, had signed.
On its Instagram account, the Berlinale also called for a large demonstration against the right in Berlin on Saturday under the motto “We are the firewall”. Several people then also called for invitations to the AfD to be withdrawn in comments.
Along with Cannes and Venice, the Berlinale is one of the world’s largest film festivals. The next edition is scheduled for February 15th to 25th. Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian are presenting the program for the last time as the outgoing management duo.