In a move that has sent shockwaves through the global cultural landscape, world-renowned author and activist Arundhati Roy has officially withdrawn from the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (the Berlinale). Her boycott is not a matter of logistics, but a searing moral protest against the festival leadership’s refusal to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Breaking: Indian writer Arundhati Roy has pulled out of the Berlinale, citing the “unconscionable statements made by members of the jury” saying that art should not be political. Her full statement 👇 pic.twitter.com/yU4cbZCLvP
— James Jackson (@derJamesJackson) February 13, 2026
The “Jaw-Dropping” Silence
The controversy erupted during the festival’s opening press conference on February 12, 2026. When questioned about the German government’s support for Israel and the festival’s stance on Gaza, Jury President and legendary filmmaker Wim Wenders remarked that the jury had to “stay out of politics” and that movies should be the “counterweight to politics,” rather than a political tool.
Roy, who was scheduled to present a restored version of her 1989 film In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones, responded with a scathing statement:
“To hear them say that art should not be political is jaw-dropping. It is a way of shutting down a conversation about a crime against humanity even as it unfolds before us in real time.”
Wim Wenders: “We have to stay out of politics.”
Arundhati Roy: “Watch me.”#Berlinale2026
— Siddharth (@DearthOfSid) February 13, 2026
The Complicity of Neutrality
Roy’s withdrawal is an indictment of “selective human rights.” She argued that while the Berlinale has historically been vocal about conflicts in Ukraine and Iran, its sudden pivot to “neutrality” regarding Palestine is “unconscionable.” By refusing to attend, she has joined a growing wave of artists who believe that in the face of what she termed a “genocide,” staying apolitical is, in itself, a political act of complicity.
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