EXCLUSIVE: A growing list of 200+ film professionals, largely from within the German film industry, have signed an open letter protesting the Berlin Film Festival’s decision to invite members of the German far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party to this year’s opening ceremony.
The open letter was launched Friday evening. Signatories (who can be viewed below) include actors, directors, producers, writers, programmers, educators, journalists and students. The group includes industry from the U.S., UK, and other European countries.
“We, the undersigned, are outraged that invitations have been extended to politicians from the AfD (Alternative for Germany) to the opening ceremony of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival,” the letter began. “We find this to be incompatible with the festival’s commitment to being a place of ‘empathy, awareness, and understanding,’ a declaration shared at its annual press conference on January 19 and published on the festival homepage.”
The letter highlighted a 2019 statement published by the Berlin Film Festival titled “We, the Many,” which singled out far-right groups, saying “right-wing populism” stands in “hostile opposition to the art of the many.”
The open letter drew out the contrast between the festival’s 2019 statement and its 2024 invitations to the right-wing politicians.
“The invitations invalidate these statements and are yet another example of the hostile and hypocritical environment art and culture faces in Berlin and Germany,” the letter reads. “We refuse to normalize or allow right-wing politicians to participate in our spaces.”
The letter adds: “We don’t believe the opening ceremony can be considered a safe place for Jews, women, members of the BIPOC, LGBTI+, disabled, Roma and Sinti, or Jehovah’s Witness communities, who, among others, faced persecution and genocide at the hands of another far-right, national-conservative movement in Germany.”
The Berlin Film Festival confirmed to Deadline that AfD members Kristin Brinker and Ronald Gläser, who were elected to office in the last local elections, were extended invitations as part of festival protocol to invite democratically elected politicians to the festival.
The festival responded to the open letter in a statement to Deadline:
“Members of the AfD were elected to the Bundestag and the Berlin House of Representatives in the last elections. Accordingly, they are also represented in political cultural committees and other bodies. That is a fact, and we have to accept it as such,” the festival said. “Both the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Berlin Senate receive invitation quotas for the Berlinale, which are allocated to the democratically elected members of all parties in the Bundestag and House of Representatives. It was against this background that the AfD representatives were invited to the Berlinale.”
The statement added: “People – including elected representatives – who act contrary to our fundamental values are not welcome at the Berlinale. We will express this clearly and emphatically in a personal letter to the AfD representatives as well as on other occasions.”
Scroll down to read the full statement, which begins with the Berlinale stating that it stands for “basic democratic values and against right-wing extremism and supports all demonstrations and other initiatives against the undemocratic currents.”
The far-right AfD is currently polling second in Germany and there are fears from many in the industry that the party could sweep local and European elections this summer.
The party’s ideology has been classified as anti-Islam, anti-immigration, German nationalist, Eurosceptic and denying of human-caused climate change. Gläser, one of the AfD politicians invited to the Berlinale opening, previously compared Winston Churchill to Adolf Hitler, describing the former as a “warlord” and a “war-criminal”.
Over the last few weeks, hundreds of thousands of Germans have hit the streets in protest against the party, calling for it to be banned after it was uncovered by independent investigative outlet Correctiv that senior AfD members had discussed a plot to deport asylum-seekers and German citizens of foreign origin en masse if they came to power.
The plan has been widely criticized in the German media, with current Chancellor Olaf Scholz saying it was “reminiscent of the darkest times in German history,” in reference to Hitler’s Third Reich.
The industry open letter ends by asking the Berlin Film Festival to “reconsider and rescind these offensive and insensitive invitations for the safety and well-being of all guests attending the festival.”
Berlinale statement to Deadline:
“The Berlinale stands for basic democratic values and against right-wing extremism and supports all demonstrations and other initiatives against the undemocratic currents. We clearly reject right-wing extremist or right-wing populist thinking and are concerned to observe that anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim resentment, hate speech and other anti-democratic attitudes are on the rise in Germany. For weeks, hundreds of thousands of people have been taking to the streets in Germany to defend our democracy and our values. This sends a clear signal of how the majority in Germany thinks and opposes right-wing populism and anti-democracy.
“A number of members and representatives of the AfD hold positions that are deeply anti-democratic and contradict the values of the Berlinale and the values of our employees. We are committed to opposing all forms of exclusion and discrimination and consistently stand up for the values of an open-minded and liberal democracy.
“As for the invitations of AFD members to the opening of the Berlinale:
“Members of the AfD were elected to the Bundestag and the Berlin House of Representatives in the last elections. Accordingly, they are also represented in political cultural committees and other bodies. That is a fact, and we have to accept it as such. Both the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media and the Berlin Senate receive invitation quotas for the Berlinale, which are allocated to the democratically elected members of all parties in the Bundestag and House of Representatives. It was against this background that the AfD representatives were invited to the Berlinale.
“People – including elected representatives – who act contrary to our fundamental values are not welcome at the Berlinale. We will express this clearly and emphatically in a personal letter to the AfD representatives as well as on other occasions.”
List of industry signatories:
Alexander Dettke, Gründer, Wilde Möhre GmbH, Berlin
Inney Prakash, Film programmer, Prismatic Ground, New York
Saeed Taji Farouky, Filmmaker & Radical Educator, London
Sabine Böbbis, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, Hamburg
Charlie Phillips, Producer, Folkestone
Suneil Sanzgiri, Filmmaker, New York
Advik Beni, Filmmaker, Los Angeles
Milagro Chinaglia, Assistant director, Berlin
Kathryn Fischer, musician and performer, berlin
Alexandrina Ripa, Producer/PM, Freelancer, Berlin
Leniko Sennoma, Fine Artist, UdK, Berlin
Konstantina Levi, filmmaker, Berlin – Neukölln
Wouter Jansen, Sales, Square Eyes, Vienna
Claudia Gonzalez, Costume Designer, Berlin
Iris Cohen, Production/Post-production, London
Laura Kloeckner, Curator and Fillm Producer, Berlin
Sarah Paar, Filmmaker, Berlin
Alex Billington, Film critic, Berlin
Jemma desai, Writer, Programmer, London
Moritz Friese, DoP, Berlin
Antonella Friese, Veranstalterin, Berlin
Marion Schmidt, Cultural Manager / Consultant
Thomas Kaske, Producer, Kaske Film, Berlin
Hendrik Teltau, Postproduktion, Postfactory GmbH, Berlin
timo ackermann, Student, Filmuniversität Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF, Berlin
Joana Georgi, Filmmaker, Berlin
Hyun Wanner, Schauspieler, BAFNET, Berlin
Benita Bailex, Schauspielerin, Schwarze Filmschaffende e.V., Berlin
Jonathan Gustin, DoP, Freelance, Berlin
Julian Dieterich, Regisseur, Berlin
Peter Bromme, Cinematographer, Peter Bromme, Kamermann, Berlin
Dorota Lech, Curator, Toronto
Phillip Kaminiak, DOP, Berlin
holly paynter, student, berlin
Monika Hinz, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, München
Kaspar Hornikel, DoP, Berlin
Rabih El-Khoury, Film curator, Berlin
Sally Shamas, Film Colorist, Berlin
Jessica Specker, Kostümbildnerin, Berlin
Clara Schulze, Animator, Filmuniversität Konrad Wolf, Potsdam
Mirjana Ikuye, Set Kostüm, Hamburg
Winnie Wang, Writer, Toronto
Manu Scheidt, Line Producer, München
Astrid Möldner, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg
Claudia Kühlke, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg
Daniele Tognozzi, Künstler, Berlin
Mechthild Baumsteiger, Kostümbildnerin, Wolfisheim
Adèle Aïssi-Guyon, Teacher, Berlin
Xenia Gomes Adaes, Producer, Berlin
Amil Shivji, Filmmaker, Dar es Salaam
Bettina C. Proske, Kostümbild, Hamburg
Katja E. Waffenschmied, Kostümbild, Hamburg
Ruby Holmer, Managerin, Black Womxn Matter, Berlin
Ahmed, Student, Berlin
Quinn Herrmann, Student, Filmuniversität Konrad Wolf, Berlin
Ewa Ferdynus, London
Hamja Ahsan, Artist & Writer, London
Mohanad Yaqubi, Idioms Film
Benedikt Maurer, Produktionsleiter, B:HP, Hamburg
Katharina Mueckstein, Regisseurin, Wien
Roxana Safarabadi, Schauspielerin, Hamburg
Sophie Riva, Schauspielerin, Berlin
Matthias Pöltinger, DoP, Hamburg
Yasemin Cec, Actress, Hamburg
Chrissie Tiller, PhD Art & Society and artist, Berlin and London
Basma al-Sharif, Filmmaker, Berlin
Yeji Cho, Actress, Salzburg
Eidin Jalali, Actor, Berlin
Sonja Madani, DoP, Freelance, Berlin
Sherwin Douki, Actor, Heidelberg
Leah Elias, Actor, Berlin
Rolf Seyfried, Produktionsleiter, München
Jane Doe, Festival Worker, Berlinale, Berlin
anonymous
Elisa Daniel, Cinematographer, Berlin
Floriana Bonera, Kostümschaffende, Hamburg
Canan Turan, Curator, Berlinale, Berlin
Miedya Mahmod, writer, poet, Bochum
Marvin Götting, Schauspieler, Engelspost, Hamburg
Hari Sriramalu, teacher, Berlin
Annika Brose, Tierpflegerin, Hamburg
Ina Ivanceanu, Regisseurin, Wien
Guevara Namer, Filmmaker, Berlin
Henna Gramentz, Office Management, Berlin
Mireya Heider de Jahnsen, Screenwriter, Berlin
Ayo Tsalithaba, Filmmaker, Toronto
Charlie Wanda Kachelmann, Fine Artist, Berlin
Dennis Vetter, film critic, Woche der Kritik, Berlin
Oliver Zimmermann, Director, Berlin
anonymous, Artist & Educator
Elhum Shakerifar, Producer, Hakawati, London
Blair McClendon, Editor, Writer, New York
Andy Grosch, Line Producer, BHP Bundesverband Herstellungs- und Produktionsleitung, Nerlin
Nici Zinell, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, Berlin
Jannis Stahnsdorf, Produktionsleiter, Freelancer, München
Ilja Leptihn, Produktionsleiter, Berlin
Melanie iredale, Exhibitor, Reclaim The Frame, Sheffield
Maryam Tafakory, Artist, London
Claudia Schurian, PL/LP, freelancer, Köln
Ruth Schönegge, Film Editor, Berlin
Naomi Bechert, Screenwriter, Berlin
Mahdi Fleifel, Filmmaker, Copenhagen
Divina Kuan, Berlin
Benedikt Schwank, Kulturredakteur, Berlin
Ashton C Green, Cinematographer, Berlin
Mishka Kornai, Filmmaker, Berlin
Juri Sternburg, Drehbuchautor, Berlin
Nesibe Özdemir, Psychotherapeutin, Berlin
Arseny Preobrazhenskiy, DoP, Berlin
Trang Vo, Filmstudentin, HFF München, Berlin
Elisabeth Scharang, Regisseurin, dieRegisseur*innen, Wien
Janina Brinkmann, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg
Clara Stern, Regisseurin, Wie
Marie Zahir, DoP, Köln
Shireen Aga, Berlin
Cemil Sorgun, Filmemacher, Berlin
Sam Coggin, Writer, Berlin
Lucy Overbeck, Berlin
Anuka Eichbaum, Designern, DÜSSELDORF
Harry Silverlock, Film Producer, Mimic Productions / Palace Collective, Berlin
Rioghnach Ni ghrioghair
Stefanie Schmauke, Kostümassistentin, Bamberg
Victoria Kure-Wu, Digitalkonzepterin, Berlin
Sylvie Weber, Regisseurin, Mexico City
Laura Wachauf, Editor, Freelance, Munich
Judith Hofmann, Produktionsleiterin, Berlin
Katharina hingst, Regisseurin, Berlin
Julian L. Nicklas, Ingenieur, Berlin
sabrina zwach, Jägerstrasse, Theater, Berlin
Yony Leyser, Filmmaker, Berlin
Natalie Fischer, Filmstudent, Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, Potsdam
Susann Guenther, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg
Ines Kratzmueller, actress, Wien
Tiny Mungwe, Producer, STEPS and CTRL ALT Shift, Durban
Pit Janzen, Scenenbildner, DFA, München
Silke Schmelzer, Kostümbildnerin, München
Jeremy Wade, Performance Artist, Berlin
Bernadette Weigel, Filmemacherin, Wien
Simon Gutknecht, Film Editor, Berlin
Daniel Asadi, Regisseur, München
Richard Gabriel, Producer, Berlin
Markus Mayr, LP/, MÄKSMY Films, München
Sybella Stevens, Producer, Berlin
Theresia Wogh, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, München
Yalhen Rudolph, Art Director, Berlin
Susa Lie, UX Designerin, Berlin
Laura Nasmyth, Regie, Vienna
Karen-Linn Eulert, Kostümassistentin, Berlin
Katharina Hantke, Künstlerin, Offenbach
Claudia Schröder, DOP, Berlin
Bernadette Weber, Kostümbild, Berlin
Lena Böckmann, costume maker, Berlin
Christiane Schmidt, filmmaker, Berlin
Victoria Dietrich, Kostümbildnerin, München
Antonia Kilian, Filmmaker, Kassel
Monique Küsel, Editorin, Berlin
Ina Conrad, Frankfurt
Jennifer Rösner, Garderobiere, Erfurt
Nadja Lischewski, Project manager, Köln
Joseph Bundschuh, Schauspieler, Berlin
Marie Noel, Autorin, Schwarze Filmschaffende e.V, Wien
Rosanagh Griffiths, Filmmaker, Spinster, Glasgow
Martin Darr, Drehbuchautor, Filmzirkel Hannover, Hannover
Nadia Khairat, Berlin
Marion Schumacher, Kostümbildnerin, Hamburg
Florian von Bornstädt, Drehbuchautor, Berlin
Wayra Schübel, press officer, Wayra Schübel-Art Communication, Berlin
Katja Christochowitz, Produktionsleiter, Köln
Thea Drechsler, Urbach
Jerry Kwarteng, Schauspieler, Schwarze Filmschaffende e.V., Berlin
Mika braun, Kostümbildnerin, Vsk/filmakademie, München
Jasmina Kuhnke, Autorin, Schwarze Filmschaffende, Köln
Carina Cavegn, Szenenbildnerin, München
Vivi Thiele, Costume assistence, Hamburg
Ayşe, Filmstudentin, Berlin
Sinha Melina Gierke, Schauspielerin, Berlin
Dominik Wirth, Sprecher, Berlin
Valeska Bochow, Produktionsleitung, Bhp, Berlin
lara casselman, art director, berlin
Hanna Jürgens, Schauspielerin, Regisseurin, Berlin
Julenka Werkmeister, Schauspielerin & Produktionsassistentin, Berlin
anonymous
Willi Rudolph, Fotograf und Filmemacher, Berlin
Selina Sondermann, Filmschaffende, Berlin
Borislav Salatino, Assistant Producer, The Marmalade Studios GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg
Anna M. Sosnik, Schauspielerin, Berlin
Franziska van der Heide, Schauspielerin, Berlin
Elisabeth Fuxa, Außenrequisiteurin, München
Teresa Hoffmann, Studentin, Universität der Künste, Berlin
Candice Breitz, Artist, Berlin
Sophie Heyer, Kameraassistentin, Berlin
Marion Aha, 1.AL, Berlin
Sera, Student, Düsseldorf
Lilly Krauße, Set Dec Buyer, München
Stephanie Traut
Arthur Wiechmann, DoP, Freelancer, Berlin
Saskia Stirn, Animation Producer, Ludwigsburg
Ruby Wilson, Schauspielerin, Berlin
Heike Hütt, Kostümbildnerin, VSK, Berlin
Jose Fernandes, Aufnahmeleiter, Filmschaffender, Köln/Görlitz
Marusch Mehnert, Kamermann, Berlin
coco kneffel, filmstudent, berlin
Loredana Tassone, Studentin, Berlin
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