A clear sign that the world is in turmoil is that the Grammys are more political than the Berlinale.
But while anti-ICE pins and punch lines made surprise headlines in LA earlier this month, in Berlin, an event where politics have historically taken center stage on and off screen, the overriding theme of the 2026 festival so far has been one of political silence. At least, that’s how the story is framed.
Festival participants Wim Wenders, Michelle Yeoh and Neil Patrick Harris have come under fire online for their apparent refusal to make political statements when prompted at a press conference. On the first day, Jury President Wenders was asked about the influence of the German government’s support for Israel on the festival’s stance on Gaza, and his comment sparked the match by declaring, “We have to stay out of politics.” This immediately prompted the author, Arundhati Roy, to withdraw from the festival in anger. The barrage of political questions at every media conference snowballed from there.
But when does the responsibility of artists participating in festivals to speak up arise?
Many may have expected Wenders, who has previously declared that “all films are political,” to make a stronger statement, rather than deflecting the question that most film festival veterans knew was coming.
But should Mr. Yeo, who has lived in Switzerland for the past seven years, be expected to provide sound opinions on the political situation in the United States? And why would Neil Patrick Harris want to frontline his opinion of America’s diplomatic threat when he’s in town to promote Sunny Dancer, the 25-year-old director’s British coming-of-age comedy about a teenager with cancer? But in each case, their comments, or lack thereof, became a hot topic.
As Berlinale President Tricia Tuttle said in a lengthy statement released Saturday, filmmakers are now “expected to answer any questions” and “will be criticized if they don’t.”
Thilo Jung, a German political journalist who has raised many political issues, has argued that given the “rise of fascism” in much of the Western world, artists with “greater influence” should use their platforms to speak out.
“Fascism is the enemy of artistic freedom,” he said, pointing to the attack on Bad Bunny after his Super Bowl performance. “Therefore, artists, especially Hollywood’s elite, have a special role in making sure their voices are not raised. They need to step up, and now is the time. We need to learn from history.”
One artist who has been somewhat vocal is Rupert Grint, who was asked at a press conference for the Finnish horror film Nightborn if he would comment on the rise of the far right in the UK.
His answer was, “Of course I’m against it,” which led many to question the very point of asking such a question to a celebrity.
“But it was a better answer than Neil Patrick Harris,” Jung said. “No one expects a TED talk, but at least one question and answer. But if artists are afraid to speak out about fascism, they shouldn’t come, because these are different times. This is about good and evil, and as Germans, we know what we’re talking about. We’re not bystanders when it comes to this.”
It’s worth noting that at the same press conference for Nightborn, screenwriter Ilya Lautsi said, “Art is all about empathy, so it’s important to shine a light on whatever issues we’re facing,” adding, “Maybe it’s good to put some pressure on it or make people aware of what’s going on in the world.”
But there was definitely a sense that the festival was trying to put politics aside, or at least express itself through art rather than artists.
Tuttle said the political nature of Afghan director Shahbanu Sadat’s No Good Men was one of the reasons it was selected for opening night, but the ceremony itself was apolitical apart from the red carpet guests, several of whom brought messages on hot topics such as Iran and fascism. It was very different from 2023, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy addressed guests on the opening night.
And at the press conference for Charli
But leave it to American rockers who can’t resist bucking the trend in a day’s time.
Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello, who was in town to co-direct The Ballad of Judas Priest, a musical documentary about the heavy metal pioneers, wasted little time in joining the discussion.
“What a great time to be alive, to be able to make a documentary about your favorite band and fight fascism at the same time,” he said.
There was applause from the room of journalists, perhaps hungry for something with a bit of politics.
