German director Wim Wenders has reiterated his contested view that filmmakers occupy a different moral and intellectual ground from politicians, saying he had been misunderstood after comments made while he presided over the jury at the Berlin Film Festival earlier this year.
Remarks in Venice
Speaking at the press conference for his new documentary on Swiss architect Peter Zumthor at the Venice Film Festival, Wenders said the point he intended to make was that filmmakers have a mindset rooted in empathy, in contrast to what he described as the mindset of politicians. The comments come after a public furore following questions about Germany’s support for Israel amid the Gaza war during the Berlin festival.
"We are not working with the mindset of politicians. We are working with the mindset of empathetic people, and we are into changing things… We are the antidote."
Wenders told reporters that he could repeat, and even expand upon, what he said in Berlin. He rejected characterisations that he had urged artists to "stay out of politics", saying that was a misquote and that his intention had been the opposite.
Context and reaction
The director’s remarks revived debate over whether cultural events and their leading figures should express political views on conflicts such as the Gaza war. At Venice, jury president Maggie Gyllenhaal was reported as describing films themselves as "fundamentally, undeniably political", underlining the differing perspectives within the film community.
- Wenders made his initial remarks while serving as jury president at the Berlin Film Festival in February.
- He addressed the issue again during the Venice festival press conference as he presented a documentary about Peter Zumthor.
- The Gaza war has repeatedly prompted questions of political expression at European film festivals.
What Wenders said about art, politics and architecture
Beyond the controversy, Wenders framed his observations within the context of his new film, which explores Zumthor’s approach to architecture. He contrasted Zumthor’s handcrafted, prototype-led buildings with more uniform, prefabricated construction, and suggested that such differences have political implications.
Wenders also referred to a specific, earlier episode linked to Zumthor: a proposed building on the site of a former Nazi headquarters in Berlin that Zumthor had been due to design before the city abandoned the project, ostensibly for financial reasons. Wenders intimated that the decision may have been motivated by factors other than cost.
| Event | When | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Berlin Film Festival remarks | February 2026 | Wenders questioned the place of filmmakers in political debate while serving as jury president, prompting criticism. |
| Venice Film Festival clarification | September 2026 | Wenders restated and expanded his position while presenting a Zumthor documentary. |
Implications
The episode highlights a broader question confronting cultural institutions this year: whether and how artists and festival figures should publicly address geopolitical crises. The director’s insistence that filmmakers are motivated by empathy and change marks a clear assertion of artistic intent, while comments from peers at Venice underscore that films themselves are often interpreted as political acts.
As festival season continues to be a forum for public debate, Wenders’ exchange is likely to prompt further commentary from filmmakers, critics and festival organisers about the responsibilities and limits of political expression within the cultural sphere.
