Arundhati Roy withdrew from this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. She was to present her 1989 film In Which Annie Gives It These Ones in the Classics section. The acclaimed Indian author’s decision follows jury chief Wim Wenders’ refusal to stand for Gaza.
Controversy erupted when Wenders deflected political questions on opening day. He suggested that filmmakers stay out of politics and focus on people rather than politicians. His comments drew criticism and made global headlines.
“We have to stay out of politics, because if we make films that are implicitly political, we enter the field of politics,” Wenders said at a press conference.
“But we are a counterweight to politics, we are the opposite of politics. We have to do the work of the people, not the work of politicians,” he added.
During the same discussion, jury member Ewa Puszczyńska also defended herself against questions about the Gaza conflict and German support for Israel. According to her, little attention is paid to many other wars with alleged genocide.
She described the issue as complex and said it was unfair to expect jurors to state policy positions or advise governments.
Roy said her decision was prompted by what she described as “reckless comments” from jury members when asked about Gaza.
Statement by Arundhati Roy
Arundhati Roy said she initially found it “touching” that her “whimsical” 1989 film was selected for the classics section of Berlinale 2026. She noted that she had long been troubled by the German government and cultural authorities regarding Palestine.
Nevertheless, the German audience showed her political solidarity, which made her willing to participate. After hearing jury members argue that art should remain separate from politics, she withdrew.
Describing the remarks as “shocking,” Roy said such views silenced discussion of what she called a “crime against humanity” in Gaza. Instead, she says, artists and writers should actively defend themselves against injustice.
“Let me be clear: what happened in Gaza, what is still happening, is the genocide of the Palestinian people by the State of Israel. It is supported and funded by the governments of the United States and Germany, as well as several other countries in Europe, making them complicit in the crime,” Roy wrote in a statement to The Wire.
“If the greatest filmmakers and artists of our time cannot stand up and say it, they should know that history will judge them. I am shocked and disgusted. It is with deep regret that I have to say that I will not be attending the Berlinale,” she added.