As this year’s 2025 Berlinale roundup has shown, there are ways to foster fairer representation of Jewish and Israeli themes alongside Palestinian narratives, regardless of the tragedies surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, it is crucial that the Berlinale continues to go against any form of demonization of Israel and other anti-Semitic references, as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), to ensure future editions remain safe and inclusive spaces for all voices.

By Oliver Bradley, EJP in Berlin

As the 2025 Berlinale draws to a close, the festival finds itself in an atmosphere starkly different from the previous year, which was marred by violent rhetoric against Israel from both filmmakers and the public. However, this year, Israeli and Jewish cinema made a notable return, with the festival taking deliberate steps to create a more inclusive space for Israeli filmmakers.

Berlinale’s New Leadership and Israeli Film Presence

In response to the tumultuous 2024 festival, the new artistic director of Berlinale, Tricia Tuttle, made concerted efforts to ensure Israeli films had a place on the festival’s prestigious platform. At the same time, Palestinian narratives were well represented, but with a shift from previous years. Instead of explicitly blaming Israel for Palestinian suffering, these films focused more on the human experiences of life, war, and exile. This shift in tone was praised for its nuanced approach, allowing for a portrayal of pain without the politicization that dominated last year’s discussions.

As Tuttle pointed out, “Our aim was to restore a balance that reflects the complexity of the situation and offer space to all voices.” This statement came during a panel discussion at the start of the festival and was part of the festival’s overall strategy to foster a more inclusive environment for complex narratives around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Despite these efforts, critics have accused the new direction of censorship, arguing that the avoidance of direct political commentary on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict could be seen as silencing important perspectives.

Controversies and Public Backlash

The festival’s efforts to create a more balanced environment were not without controversy. A notable incident occurred when actress Tilda Swinton, who received this year’s Golden Bear for lifetime achievement, used a press conference to express support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement while also dismissing the plight of Hamas hostages. Her remarks sparked immediate backlash, with critics arguing that her support for BDS ignored the complexities of the ongoing conflict, particularly the suffering of hostages.

Defending her decision to attend the festival despite boycott calls from BDS activists—who accused the Berlinale of being “complicit in the German government’s partnership in Israel’s genocide in Gaza” and of failing “to protect filmmakers standing in solidarity with Palestinians”—Swinton stated at the press conference that she believed her presence could be “more useful to all our causes than me not turning up.”

Michael Kuenne, a journalist specializing in antisemitism and extremism, critiqued Swinton’s stance in a blog post for The Times of Israel, arguing that her remarks “dangerously blur the lines between cultural critique and political extremism” and emphasizing the responsibility of public figures to promote unity and truth.

Swinton’s comments also sparked discussions within the artistic community and among festival attendees, including prizewinning German-Jewish filmmaker Isabel Gathof, who joined many in criticizing Swinton. Gathof posted on Facebook: “Ach Tilda, I really thought you were a cool person for a long time… But this?! No thanks.”

The Berlinale festival leadership also responded. In a public statement, the festival condemned Swinton’s remarks, emphasizing that it “values constructive dialogue and empathy but does not support harmful rhetoric that undermines human rights.”

The festival also experienced an unexpected outburst of pro-Palestinian sentiment during a Q&A following the screening of Hong Kong director Jun Li’s queer film Queerpanorama. Li made a statement, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” which sparked outrage among attendees, leading to an investigation by the German authorities into whether the remark constituted incitement. Notably, Jun Li had been reading a text from an Iranian poet during the screening, which seemed to influence the charged political nature of his statement.

Jewish Groups Demonstrate Ahead of Red Carpet

In a powerful moment preceding the festival’s red carpet event, Jewish groups organized a demonstration in remembrance of Israeli brothers Ariel and David Cunio, who are currently held hostage by Hamas. The protest highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by those caught in the conflict, drawing attention to Tom Shoval’s Michtav Le’David (A Letter to David), a film that resonates deeply with the current situation. The film, which features a hostage narrative, contrasts with the real-life story of Hamas captive David Cunio, who starred in Youth—a film that debuted at the 2013 Berlinale and, ironically, portrays his character as a hostage taker.

German-Israeli activist Jenny Havemann spoke at the demonstration, stating, “This demonstration is not just about remembering the hostages, but ensuring that their stories are seen and understood beyond the politics.”

A Shift in Israeli Film at Berlinale

This year’s festival offered a noteworthy presence of Israeli films, reflecting the evolution of Israeli cinema, which continues to produce a wide variety of films and has not lost momentum, despite the Gaza war.

Schaul Scherzer, an Israeli lawyer who manages the Israel pavilion at the European Film Market (EFM), which takes place in conjunction with the Berlin Film Festival, told EJP, “Israeli cinema is evolving. We are still producing around 36 films a year, but now there’s an increased focus on documentary filmmaking. The war has had a significant influence on the types of stories being told, particularly those that explore the psychological and physical effects of the conflict, as well as the changes to Israeli society and landscape.”

Scherzer also noted that compared to last year, when safety concerns were prevalent, “the atmosphere this year has been much better. Security measures have been significantly improved, and the festival is now proceeding smoothly without the disruptions of previous years.”

A Roundup of Jewish and Israel-Relevant Films

Several notable Jewish and Israel-related films made waves at Berlinale 2025, each bringing fresh perspectives on the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and Jewish identity.

Much like Tom Shoval’s documentary Michtav Le’David (Letter to David), Brandon Kramer’s Holding Liat also addresses Jewish suffering and trauma following the October 7th massacre—an uncommon perspective in a festival that has traditionally gone to great lengths to dedicate an extraordinarily large space to portraying Palestinian victimhood.

Although not in competition for a Golden Bear, the German premiere of James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet, subtly addressed antisemitism by briefly referencing the Jewish origin of Bob Dylan’s birth name, ‘Zimmerman.’

Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s Hot Milk, based on the 2016 novel by Deborah Levy, explores themes of familial bonds and the complexities of identity.

The Swedish, Qatari, Saudi, Palestinian co-production Yalla Parkour by Areeb Zuaiter is a rare depiction of Palestinian life that, despite its intermittent focus on conflict, avoids demonizing Israel, offering a rare yet more balanced view of the ongoing struggles.

Je n’avais que le néant – “Shoah” by Guillaume Ribot is an ode dedicated to Claude Lanzmann, marking 40 years since Lanzmann’s epic documentary Shoah was first screened. It serves as a reminder of the ongoing relevance of the Holocaust as a topic amid the rise of global antisemitism.

Prize-winning director Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon, starring Ethan Hawke, offers a poignant portrayal of Jewish composer Lorenz Hart, with Hawke delivering yet another exceptional performance.

Ameer Fakher Eldin’s Yunan, starring the legendary German silver screen icon Hannah Schygulla, elegantly weaves subtle yet impactful references to Palestinian loss and exile. The film masterfully delivers its poignant themes with a delicate, poetic touch, sidestepping any direct reference to Israel or any other specific country, perhaps even turning its narrative into a universal message of trauma and exile.

Batim (Houses), by Veronica Nicole Tetelbaum, is a gripping exploration of migration, identity, and belonging, as well as an Israeli experience in dealing with the emotional and psychological ramifications of displacement.

La Cache (The Safe House), Lionel Baier’s thought-provoking comedy – based on the novel by Christophe Boltanski, the nephew of the renowned visual artist Christian Boltanski – is a deeply insightful film exploring the implications of political positions and the need for refuge in times of crisis. It intersects the history of Jewish trauma in 1940s France and more recent political upheavals, particularly the social revolutions of 1968.

When Lightning Flashes Over the Sea is director Eva Neymann’s Russian, Ukrainian, and Yiddish-language portrayal of people in Odessa who are searching for dignity and dreams amidst war, loss, and hope.

In his documentary Peter Hujar’s Day, Ira Sachs explores the life and legacy of Jewish photographer Peter Hujar, focusing on his work chronicling New York’s LGBTQ scene during the 1970s and 1980s.

As this year’s 2025 Berlinale roundup has shown, there are ways to foster fairer representation of Jewish and Israeli themes alongside Palestinian narratives, regardless of the tragedies surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, it is crucial that the Berlinale continues to go against any form of demonization of Israel and other anti-Semitic references, as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), to ensure future editions remain safe and inclusive spaces for all voices.