BERLIN, February 12, 2026 — Veteran director Wim Wenders has emphasized cinema’s potential to foster understanding and compassion as he assumed the presidency of the Berlinale, one of Europe’s most politically engaged film festivals. He believes movies can subtly shift perspectives, even if they don’t directly alter political ideologies.
The Power of Empathy on Screen
Wenders sees filmmaking as a vital act of connection in a fractured world, offering a counterpoint to the divisiveness of politics and news.
- Wim Wenders is presiding over the 76th Berlinale.
- He believes films can change how people view the world, even if they don’t change politicians’ minds.
- The festival will open with Shahrbanoo Sadat’s “No Good Men,” billed as Afghanistan’s first romcom.
- The event will feature stars like Amy Adams and Channing Tatum.
“Yes, movies can change the world,” Wenders told reporters in the German capital at the start of the 11-day event. “Not in a political way. No movie has really changed any politician’s idea, but … we can change the idea that people have of how they should live.” This sentiment underscores a belief in the power of storytelling to build bridges and cultivate empathy.
When questioned about Germany’s support for Israel during the Gaza war and perceptions of “selective” solidarity with those facing hardship, Wenders cautioned against the festival or the film industry taking explicit political positions. He argued that doing so would blur the lines between art and activism.
“We have to stay out of politics because if we make movies that are dedicatedly political, we enter the field of politics,” he explained. “But we are the counterweight of politics, we are the opposite of politics. We have to do the work of people, not the work of politicians.”
Ewa Puszczyńska, a Polish producer on Wenders’s jury, echoed this sentiment, describing the initial question as “unfair.” She acknowledged the intention to provoke thought but stressed the impossibility of holding filmmakers accountable for audience interpretations or political choices.
“Of course, we are trying to talk to people and make them think, but we cannot be responsible for what their decision would be, to support Israel or to support Palestine,” Puszczyńska said. “There are many wars where genocide is committed, and we do not talk about them … so this is a complicated question and it’s a bit of an unfair question.”
Awards and Opening Night
A seven-member jury will evaluate 22 feature films from around the globe, culminating in the awarding of the Golden and Silver Bear prizes at a gala ceremony on February 21. The festival will kick off with a screening of Shahrbanoo Sadat’s “No Good Men,” which has been promoted as Afghanistan’s first romantic comedy.
The 76th Berlinale will also welcome a constellation of stars, including Amy Adams, Channing Tatum, Pamela Anderson, Ashley Walters, Callum Turner, Ethan Hawke, Gemma Chan, and Charli xcx.
However, Wenders emphasized that the core of the approximately 200 feature films and documentaries in the program focuses on the repercussions of global conflicts and struggles for human rights. “Cinema has an incredible power of being compassionate and empathetic,” he said. “The news is not empathetic. Politics is not empathetic, but movies are. And that’s our duty.”
The Berlinale is considered alongside the Cannes and Venice film festivals as one of Europe’s premier cinematic events.
