Controversy over pro-Palestinian speeches at closing gala criticising Germany as ‘partners in genocide’
The organisation that manages the Berlin film festival is to meet for crunch talks amid reports that its American director faces dismissal after a series of rows over Gaza.
In a statement on Wednesday, the office of Germany’s federal government commissioner for culture and media said the emergency meeting on Thursday had been called to debate the “future direction of the Berlinale”.
The newspaper Bild reported that the meeting could result in the firing of Tricia Tuttle, the US director of the festival since 2024, after controversy over pro-Palestinian speeches at the closing gala, one of which criticised Germany as “partners in the genocide”.
KBB, the state-owned company that runs the festival, dismissed the report, telling AFP: “We believe this is fake news.”
