Critics from Düsseldorf's Jewish community voice concerns over the Berlinale for insufficient action against anti-Semitism.
In a series of statements, the Jewish Community of Düsseldorf has expressed concern over the Berlinale's handling of antisemitism. The community believes that the arts and culture sector, including film festivals like Berlinale, should draw attention to society's shortcomings and clearly position themselves against any form of antisemitism.
The concerns stem from a number of incidents. Most notably, at the Berlinale 2024 awards ceremony, Israel was accused of genocide to applause. This incident, along with major antisemitism scandals at 'documenta fifteen' and the Berlinale in February 2024, have been called for thorough investigation.
Dr. Oded Horowitz, Chairman of the Jewish Community of Düsseldorf, emphasises that the Berlinale bears a responsibility for upholding democratic values. The community questions the values represented by the festival, stating that in times of increasing antisemitic incidents, a cultural festival cannot remain neutral. They add that freedom of opinion and art end where antisemitism begins.
The community has also criticised the Berlinale festival leadership for failing to clearly distance itself from antisemitic tendencies. The Berlinale refused to acknowledge and align with the Bundestag's resolution against antisemitism, a move that is seen as a worrying signal by the Jewish Community of Düsseldorf.
The resolution, passed in November 2024, aims to strengthen Jewish life in Germany and guarantees and protects freedom of opinion and the arts as precious goods. It also calls for consequences to be drawn from the antisemitism scandals in art, culture, and the media, stating that there must be no room for antisemitism within these spheres.
However, no publicly available information from 2024 indicates that any Berlinale leadership figures explicitly obstructed acknowledgment or alignment with the Bundestag Resolution "Never Again is Now - Protect, Preserve, and Strengthen Jewish Life in Germany" or failed to clearly distance themselves from antisemitic tendencies. The festival was led by Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian until mid-2024, with no documented controversy regarding antisemitism linked to their leadership in the sources reviewed.
In light of these concerns, the Jewish Community of Düsseldorf calls on the Berlinale leadership to clearly position itself against antisemitism. They believe that the Berlinale has the opportunity to set a clear sign for an open, tolerant, and democratic society.
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