The organisers of the Berlin international film festival have disinvited five politicians from the far-right party Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) from next week’s opening gala in the German capital, citing recent reports on the AfD’s alleged mass deportation plans.
“Especially in light of the revelations that have been made in recent weeks about explicitly anti-democratic positions and individual politicians of the AfD, it is important for us – as the Berlinale and as a team – to take an unequivocal stand in favour of an open democracy”, said Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian, the directors of the film festival, which is known as the Berlinale.
