Irish screenwriter Alan O’Gorman to boycott Berlin Film Festival in solidarity with Gaza

WORLD, Jan. 24 (YPA) – Irish screenwriter Alan O’Gorman announced on Monday that he would boycott the prestigious Berlin Film Festival, scheduled to take place from 13 to 23 February.

In a statement posted on X, O’Gorman, who now lives in Manchester, announced his withdrawal from the festival in solidarity with Film Workers for Palestine and Strike Germany, with whom he signed a pledge last year.

He said Strike Germany “calls for a boycott of German cultural institutions that have supported the genocide of Palestinians, as well as the many activists within Germany, including Irish Bloc Berlin, who are silenced and criminalised for speaking up about Palestine”.

“Despite the recent ceasefire, the German government has been an active participant in this genocide, providing Israel with arms and political cover. From culture minister Claudia Roth who oversees the Berlinale, to foreign minister Annalena Baerbock saying civilians are legitimate targets, the German government is marked by a profound racism towards Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims,” he added.

@E.Y.M