Berlin Film Festival to bar pro-Kremlin filmmakers

The Berlin Film Festival has issued a statement condemning Russia’s military operation in Ukraine and has announced the exclusion of state-funded Russian projects and delegations from participating in the festival.

The festival’s statement claimed that Russia’s “war of aggression” violated international law and that the Berlinale stood in solidarity with the Ukrainian people and all who “are campaigning against this war.”

However, the festival took a stance against outright boycotting Russian-origin filmmakers, as many in the industry have done recently, saying “Even in face of the criminal Russian war of aggression, therefore, it cannot be the intention to exclude filmmakers or cultural workers from the Berlinale on the basis of their nationality, or to isolate them.”

 “All too often, it is precisely their works that convey criticism of the respective regimes. Consequently, the Berlinale takes a clear stand against a general boycott of cultural works on the basis of their origin, as this would also suppress many critical voices. And the world needs those critical voices.”

The festival organizers went on to say that the same courtesy would not be extended to any state-funded Russian projects, saying “It is a different matter to exclude official state institutions and, in this case, Russian institutions or delegations as well as supporting actors of the regime from participating in the Berlinale as long as the Russian government is waging this cruel war against Ukraine.”

The Berlinale joins the “Big Three” film festivals that have all taken a position on the ongoing military conflict in Ukraine, with the Cannes Film Festival announcing the exclusion of official Russian delegations or “anyone linked to the Russian government,” and the Venice Film Festival saying it will bar Russian delegations, but not independent Russian filmmakers and their works.