– In the past 24 hours, a coalition of 32 festival leaders has publicly supported Tuttle, whilst German media reports indicate she may remain in post under new governance conditions
Berlinale artistic director Tricia Tuttle during this year’s opening ceremony (© 2026 Dario Caruso for Cineuropa – dario-caruso.fr, @studio.photo.dar, Dario Caruso)
The controversy surrounding the leadership of the Berlin International Film Festival has intensified over the past 48 hours, as a new wave of international support for artistic director Tricia Tuttle emerged while German media reported that the festival could soon adopt new oversight measures and a code of conduct addressing antisemitism.
The debate follows days of political and industry scrutiny triggered by speeches delivered during the festival’s closing ceremony held on 21 February. The remarks, including accusations by Syrian-Palestinian filmmaker Abdallah Al-Khatib that Germany was complicit in Israel’s war in Gaza, sparked backlash among German political figures and reignited long-running tensions over how publicly funded cultural institutions navigate the minefield of political expression.
Initial speculation that Tuttle’s position might be in jeopardy surfaced last week (see the news) after an extraordinary meeting of the supervisory board of the Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin (KBB), the federal body overseeing the festival. The board met at the Federal Chancellery to discuss the festival’s direction but concluded its session without announcing a decision on the director’s future. Since then, the debate has evolved into a broader conversation about governance, artistic freedom and the political pressures facing major European cultural events.
Yesterday, 3 March, a group of 32 leaders from major international film festivals released a public letter expressing their support for Tuttle and defending the autonomy of film festivals as spaces for debate and artistic exchange.
Among the signatories are figures from some of the world’s most influential festivals, including Cannes chief Thierry Frémaux, Sundance director Eugene Hernandez, Toronto CEO Cameron Bailey, Karlovy Vary director Karel Och, Locarno director Giona A Nazzaro, IFFR director Vanja Kaludjercic and San Sebastián director José Luis Rebordinos. Executives from Busan, Sydney, Telluride, Tokyo, London and other key gatherings also joined the initiative.
“As film-festival directors and leaders, we stand in support of Tricia Tuttle’s wish to continue as Berlinale festival director, in full trust and with institutional independence,” the letter states. “Supporting genuine freedom of expression, including the freedom to articulate imperfect or unpopular opinions, has never been more important. We need to maintain spaces where discomfort is embraced, where debates can be expansive and where unexpected perspectives are made visible.”
The statement reflects mounting concern within the global festival community that political intervention could undermine the independence of cultural institutions. Festival leaders noted that the current climate, marked by polarised public discourse and geopolitical tensions, has made it increasingly difficult to safeguard these spaces.
While support for Tuttle continues to grow within the international film sector, reports emerging today, 4 March, in the German press suggest the Berlinale could face structural changes. According to reports citing government sources, the festival’s leadership may remain in place but under new conditions negotiated with the Federal Culture Ministry. These could include the creation of a new advisory board and the introduction of a code of conduct addressing antisemitism that participants would be required to sign. The proposals have reportedly been discussed amid ongoing negotiations between Tuttle and the supervisory board, though no final decision has yet been formally confirmed by the festival.
Meanwhile, German Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer has publicly emphasised the need to prevent what he described as “hate speech” and “activist attacks” during festival events, suggesting that clearer guidelines may be necessary. The German federal government provides roughly 40% of the Berlinale’s funding, making it the festival’s largest public backer.
How a new code of conduct would be implemented while respecting Germany’s constitutional protections for freedom of expression remains unclear. None of the gestures or statements that sparked the controversy – including the display of Palestinian flags or the wearing of keffiyehs – violate German law.
The political response in Germany has also revealed divisions within the country’s governing coalition. Some conservative politicians have called for a broader restructuring of the festival’s leadership. CDU parliamentarian Ellen Demuth, a member of the Bundestag’s Culture and Media Committee, argued that the Berlinale required a “fundamental overhaul” and suggested the debate should ultimately lead to replacing the festival director.
Others within the political establishment have defended Tuttle’s position. Sven Lehmann, of the Green Party, chair of the Bundestag Committee on Culture and Media, publicly welcomed her decision to remain in the role. “Especially in light of the campaign waged against her last week, this demonstrates her remarkable strength and deep commitment to the Berlinale and the art of film,” Lehmann stated.
The Berlinale supervisory board is expected to deliver further conclusions in the coming days. For now, however, the international film community appears largely united in calling for stability — and for the continued defence of the festival as a forum where cinema and the debates it provokes can coexist.
