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Berlinale chief in free speech row stays on after actors' outcry
The Guardian
|March 05, 2026
The American head of the Berlin film festival, Tricia Tuttle, will keep her job after a free speech row over Gaza, but the organisation will have to consider a new "code of conduct" to "fight antisemitism", the German culture ministry has said.
Tuttle's position came under threat after an awards gala at the end of the 76th edition last month in which several prize winners condemned Israel's actions against Palestinians from the stage.
The German culture minister, Wolfram Weimer, convened a crisis meeting last week, with the Bild tabloid reporting Tuttle was to be fired over giving "hate speech" an airing. In response, hundreds of prominent filmmakers from around the world, including Israel, rallied around Tuttle, who was previously in charge of the BFI London film festival.
In an open letter, more than 2,800 actors, directors and producers including Tilda Swinton, Todd Haynes and Nancy Spielberg warned her departure would smack of government “intimidation” of free expression and artistic liberty.
This story is from the March 05, 2026 edition of The Guardian.
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