Should we be talking about cinema at this year’s Berlin film festival? Not everyone thought so. After a post on X about a podcast discussion I took part in here, someone responded with a photo of Jean-Luc Godard at 1968’s politically fraught Cannes film festival, making his famous accusation: “And you’re talking tracking shots and closeups! You’re idiots!”
The 2024 Berlinale might not have been as turbulent as Cannes 68, but given the state of the world, mere movie talk risked seeming frivolous. This year’s festival was prefaced by the controversial inviting, then disinviting, of politicians from Germany’s far-right Alternative für Deutschland party to the opening ceremony. It was also marked by pro-Palestine demonstrations at the industry market and by complaints from festival staff that the Berlinale was not taking a clear stance on the Gaza conflict. At their opening press conference, the competition jury headed by actor Lupita Nyong’o faced more questions about their political positions than about cinema.
