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February 18, 2026 - Tunisian Director Kaouther Ben Hania refused to accept the "Most Valuable Film" award at Berlin’s Cinema for Peace ceremony for her film "The Voice of Hind Rajab."

In protest of an Israeli general being honored at the same event for his role in the Canadian documentary The Road Between Us about his actions during the 7 October 2023 attacks, she left the trophy behind, stating that recognition holds no value while a genocide is still unfolding without accountability.

More than 80 actors, directors and other artists who have taken part in the Berlin Film Festival, including Tilda Swinton and Javier Bardem, signed an open letter to the organisers published on Tuesday calling for them to take a clear stance on Israel's war in Gaza.

"We call on the Berlinale to fulfil its moral duty and clearly state its opposition to Israel's genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes against Palestinians," "We are appalled by Berlinale's institutional silence," said the letter, which was also signed by actors Adam McKay, Alia Shawkat, Brian Cox, and director Mike Leigh.

It said organisers had not met demands to issue a statement affirming Palestinians' right to life and committing to uphold the freedom of artists to speak out on the issue. "This is the least it can - and should - do," the letter said.

“Neoliberal ideology drives us to focus on individuals, ourselves, individual victims, individual perpetrators. But how is it possible to solve the massive problem of racist state violence by calling upon individual police officers to bear the burden of that history and to assume that by prosecuting them, by exacting our revenge on them, we would have somehow made progress in eradicating racism?”