Filmmakers Protest German Support For Israel

At the 2024 Berlin International Film Festival, filmmakers publicly protested German government and cultural institutions' support for Israel's actions in Gaza, dominating the closing ceremony. Directors including Abdallah Al-Khatib, Ilker Çatak and Emin Alper used acceptance speeches to denounce Israel and accuse German authorities of complicity; officials protested and left. The controversy underscores tensions over censorship, the IHRA antisemitism definition, and cultural-sector political expression.