The chief of the Berlinale, Tricia Tuttle, has offered to step down as the festival’s artistic director, according to culture minister Wolfram Weimer. Weimer told the Rheinische Post (Monday edition) that the pro‑Palestinian, anti‑Israel protests and the subsequent fallout had struck Tuttle deeply. “She told me, and also my chief of staff, on Tuesday that in this poisoned atmosphere and with all the political tensions, she can hardly continue to run the Berlinale” Weimer said. “We spoke openly about the difficult situation”.
Weimer added that when such a scandal erupts and the director herself questions her future, the committees must discuss it. He has therefore informed the supervisory board in line with that requirement. “I can’t say more because of the confidentiality agreed and the ongoing negotiations” he said. A supervisory‑board meeting with Tuttle is scheduled for mid‑week, and all involved parties aim, in his view, to reach a good outcome quickly.
Criticism from the film industry regarding Weimer’s conduct was dismissed by the minister. “I understand the buzz after the incidents, but some of the criticism stemmed from a lack of knowledge about the situation” he said. He also noted that solidarity messages for Tricia are surely helpful and encouraging. He praised the passion many artists have for the Berlinale, but warned that occasional trivializations of Israel‑hate and activist aggression are hard to endure.