The Berlinale's management came to the defense of its jury, and particularly its president, German filmmaker Wim Wenders, following the controversy sparked by his statements in which he refused to link cinema with explicit political stances. At the opening press conference of the festival, Wenders stated that “as filmmakers, we must remain on the sidelines of politics, because if we make movies with a purely political focus, we enter the realm of politics, and we are the counterbalance to politics, we are the opposite of politics.” His words were in response to a journalist's question that questioned the festival's lack of a critical stance towards the conflict in Gaza, in contrast to the support expressed in other editions for the Ukrainian and Iranian peoples. The controversy led to the cancellation of Indian author Arundhati Roy, who was scheduled to present a film in the classics section. The event emphasized that its responsibility is “to create a space where diverse perspectives can be heard and respected, both in the films themselves and by those who make them, including those who work with strong political impulses.” Other guests also avoided commenting on current affairs. Actress Michelle Yeoh, honored with an honorary Golden Bear, sidestepped questions about the political situation in the United States and focused on talking about cinema. Actor Neil Patrick Harris expressed surprise at the number of political questions received and stated: “I am interested in apolitical things,” during the presentation of “Sunny Dancer.” These stances contrast with the intervention of British actress Tilda Swinton, who, upon receiving the honorary award in the previous edition, denounced the situation in Gaza and described it as “internationally facilitated mass murder.” “It's better not to speak about something I don't know,” she said.
