Film Insiders Back Berlin Festival Director

A petition featuring nearly 700 signatures from prominent film professionals, including Oscar winners Tilda Swinton and Sean Baker, has been submitted in support of Tricia Tuttle, the director of the Berlin Film Festival. This initiative precedes an urgent meeting convened by Germany's culture minister to deliberate on the Berlinale's "future direction."

The open letter, signed by directors, producers, and actors, advocates for the protection of the festival as a vital space for discourse and the intersection of diverse perspectives. It highlights that recent criticisms stemmed from statements made by invited filmmakers, not the festival leadership.

The signatories argue that personnel consequences drawn from individual remarks or symbolic interpretations would signal undue political pressure on cultural institutions. They assert that the upcoming meeting's outcome extends beyond a single leadership appointment, impacting the crucial balance between artistic freedom and institutional independence.

The statement emphasizes the Berlinale's historical role as a politically engaged, socially conscious platform that makes conflicts visible and fosters debate, rather than delivering simple answers. It underscores that safeguarding the independence of cultural institutions is essential for artistic freedom and the vitality of democratic discourse, warning that repercussions for every controversy could lead to control overriding genuine debate.