Article #239795

Author says she is ‘disgusted’ by claim from jury president Wim Wenders that film-makers should remain apolitical

The author Arundhati Roy has withdrawn from the Berlinale after the film festival’s chief jurist said film-makers must stay out of politics.

The festival got off to a shaky start on Thursday after the competition jury, led by the German film-maker Wim Wenders, fielded questions about the conflict in Gaza. Asked if films can affect political change, Wenders said that “movies can change the world” but “not in a political way”.