Berlin, Germany – Web Desk: Booker Prize-winning Indian author Arundhati Roy has withdrawn from the Berlin Film Festival in protest, criticizing comments made by festival jury president Wim Wenders regarding Gaza.
Roy announced her decision on Friday, expressing concern that Wenders’ remarks suppress open discussions on crimes against humanity. She condemned the jury chairman’s statements and stressed that artists, writers, and filmmakers have a responsibility to highlight atrocities occurring in plain sight.
In her statement, Roy directly accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians, adding that support from countries including the United States and Germany implicates them in the conflict.
Wim Wenders had previously commented that filmmakers should avoid political entanglement, warning that creating political films would drag them into the arena of politics. Roy’s withdrawal highlights growing tensions between artistic expression and political accountability on international platforms.
