Charli XCX Calls Films Political And Part Of Berlinale Festival’s History As Tensions Continue

Increasing tensions at the Berlinale continue to simmer, nearing a boiling point between the press, artists and the festival organisers, where several questions everyday have been raised towards the actors and filmmakers about the current political climate and the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Palestine. It’s a hot topic, especially because of the festival’s controversial stance of choosing to claim film and politics are separate, as the Jury, led by president Wim Wenders, seems to think. It only frustrated the press and online audiences more as several artists refused to engage with any political questions, either deflecting from it or believing films to be apolitical.

So it comes as a surprise when famed musician and Brat Summer icon Charli xcx decided to answer a question about being part of the festival circuit, even bringing up Berlinale’s deep history of politics by her own volition, when many artists earlier have failed to acknowledge that. Attending both Sundance and Berlinale for her new mockumentary film The Moment, Charli expressed how grateful she was to be invited and that Berlinale in particular has political films that are a part of the festival’s history, not shying away from it. A far cry from what Wim Wenders and Neil Patrick Harris’ responses were, finally giving the audience and press an actual answer with clarification, and some conviction, even.

Of course, the controversy doesn’t really end there as the atmosphere during The Moment press conference felt uneasy. The moderator chose to only allow 2-3 questions to the press and asking the rest of the questions herself, a clear tactical decision to avoid any further political discourse or mention of the Palestinian plight. Much to the frustration of many with visible sighs at the end of the press conference when it was cut short, it is clear that people are growingly unhappy with how the festival has conducted itself. Criticising the lack of freedom of the press, free speech of artists and their responsibilities, and the constant dismissals of topics of politics or suffering of people for what is known to be the most political festival of the film industry. After all, just 2 years ago, Palestinian and Oscar-winning documentary No Other Land premiered at the Berlinale, so what happened to expressing any solidarity now? If support can be shown to Iran and Ukraine, why is Palestine any different?

Charli has been vocal about her support for Palestine and, more recently, shared that she watched Kaouther Ben Hania’s film The Voice of Hind Rajab, noting on her TikTok that the film was “very, very powerful and a must watch”. The question now is why has it taken a singer new to the film industry to be able to be willing to call films political and acknowledge the festival’s participation in politics yet the jury, actors and filmmakers, many of which are veterans have been afraid or reluctant to share the same sentiment, which is both undeniable and obvious yet it’s as if the cat caught their tongue and they can no longer express their genuine opinions. Even more troublesome is that many of these filmmakers have worked on films centred on politics and have gone on record to claim that politics is inherent to cinema. So what has changed? Are principles and values so easily discarded when it comes to Palestine? Even during its 3rd year of the ongoing genocide.

The Moment premiered last night at the Berlinale with Charli xcx in attendance.

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