Celebrated Indian author and Booker Prize laureate Arundhati Roy has dramatically withdrawn from the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival following controversial remarks by the festival’s jury leadership regarding political expression in cinema. The acclaimed writer of “The God of Small Things” announced her decision on Friday, expressing profound dismay at statements made by jury president Wim Wenders and fellow jurors.
The controversy erupted when German filmmaker Wenders, heading the seven-member international jury, asserted during a press conference that filmmakers must “stay out of politics” and serve as a “counterweight to politics” rather than creating “dedicatedly political” works. Polish producer Ewa Puszczynska, another jury member, similarly characterized questions about the Gaza conflict as “not fair” to the judging panel.
Roy condemned these positions as “unconscionable” in a sharply worded statement published by The Wire. “To hear them say that art should not be political is jaw-dropping,” she declared, arguing that such rhetoric effectively silences crucial dialogue about ongoing humanitarian crises. She emphasized that artists bear particular responsibility to confront atrocities unfolding in real time.
Festival organizers acknowledged Roy’s withdrawal with regret, noting her presence would have “enriched the festival discourse.” Roy was scheduled to present her 1989 screenplay “In Which Annie Gives It Those Ones” in the Berlinale Classics section.
This incident highlights the deep cultural divisions emerging from the Gaza conflict, which has claimed over 70,000 Palestinian lives according to local health officials, following Hamas’ October 7 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis. The Berlinale, historically considered more politically engaged than counterparts in Venice and Cannes, has faced mounting criticism from pro-Palestinian advocates for its perceived reluctance to address Gaza with the same urgency demonstrated toward Ukraine or Iran.
The controversy occurs within a broader context of international legal actions, with both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leader Ibrahim Al-Masri facing ICC arrest warrants for alleged crimes against humanity.