Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal has turned the Berlin Film Festival into a flashpoint.
On February 13, 2026, author and activist Arundhati Roy said she would not attend the Berlinale after comments by jury president Wim Wenders and other jury members about politics in film. Reuters reported Roy called the remarks “unconscionable.” Roy linked her decision to the wider debate over Gaza and speech in European cultural spaces. (Reuters )
What triggered the Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal
The Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal followed an opening press conference on February 12, 2026. In that event, Wenders argued that filmmakers should avoid politics and act as a “counterweight” to politics. Several outlets reported the exchange happened after questions connected the festival, German policy, and the Gaza war. (Reuters video transcript , The Guardian )
Reuters reported Roy had planned to attend a Berlinale screening tied to a restored film connected to her early screen work. She then reversed course. The Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal was framed as a protest against what she saw as a push to depoliticize art. (Reuters )
What Roy said, and what the festival said back
Reuters reported Roy called the jury remarks “unconscionable.” She described the idea that art should avoid politics as a way to shut down urgent debate. Her statement also referenced Gaza, which has become a recurring pressure point for German and European institutions since October 7, 2023. (Reuters )
Festival leadership responded by defending context and stressing artistic freedom. Coverage of the Berlinale response said festival director Tricia Tuttle argued artists should not be forced into simplified political soundbites, especially when questioned outside the scope of their films. She emphasized that political cinema remains part of the festival’s identity, while also defending the right of artists to speak, or not speak, on specific issues. (Variety , Deadline , The Guardian )
The Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal also drew attention because the Berlinale has long marketed itself as politically engaged. That history raises the reputational cost when the festival appears to police political expression.
Why the Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal matters for institutions
The Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal is not only a culture-war headline. It is an institutional risk story.
Major festivals run on cultural capital. They also run on tourism, sponsorship, and distribution deals. When politics disputes erupt, three costs can rise fast.
First is sponsor sensitivity. Brands may avoid association with controversy, even when the dispute is about speech rather than programming. Second is security spend. Large demonstrations and heightened threats can increase perimeter, staffing, and insurance pressure. Third is programming exposure. Curators may face louder lobbying from competing political camps, which can shape selection narratives.
Industry coverage has highlighted how quickly social-media pressure can pull festivals into governance questions about speech norms and “neutrality.” That is especially acute in Germany, where debates about Gaza discourse intersect with public funding, venue policy, and reputational exposure for arts leaders. (The Hollywood Reporter , IndieWire )
The wider Europe backdrop: Gaza discourse and cultural friction
Reuters tied the Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal to broader cultural-political friction in Europe around Gaza. The pattern is familiar. A high-profile event prompts questions about state policy. Artists resist being asked to speak for institutions. Institutions defend process and context. Activists argue that silence is political.
This cycle can reshape how festivals plan press access and opening events. It can also influence how juries are briefed and how official statements are drafted. In practice, that can mean tighter media protocols and more explicit messaging about artistic autonomy.
What to watch next at the Berlinale
The Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal will likely be measured in three near-term signals.
Whether the festival changes press-conference formats to reduce political pile-ons.
Whether sponsors or partners make public statements about the dispute.
Whether future selections and panels lean harder into political framing, or hedge it.
For now, the key fact remains simple. Arundhati Roy Berlinale withdrawal has forced the festival to defend both politics in cinema and the right to refuse politics on demand.