BRLIN, February 18, 2026 (WAFA) – More than 80 actors, directors, and artists participating in the Berlin International Film Festival, including Tilda Swinton and Javier Bardem, have signed an open letter to the  festival’s organizers, urging them to take a clear stance on Israel's war on Gaza.

In the letter, the artists wrote, "We call on the Berlin International Film Festival to fulfill its moral obligation and clearly express its opposition to the genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes being committed by Israel against the Palestinians."

The signatories, including Adam McKay, Alia Shawkat, Brian Cox, and director Mike Leigh, continued, "We are shocked by the Berlin International Film Festival's institutional silence."

They emphasized that the festival organizers had failed to respond to their demands for an official statement affirming the Palestinians' right to life and pledging to protect artists' right to express their views on this issue.

Last year, more than 5,000 actors, artists, and directors, including some Hollywood stars, signed a pledge not to work with Israeli film institutions they deemed complicit in the violations committed against Palestinians.

Y.S