As a long-time admirer of European film festivals and their commitment to progressive values, I find it both saddening and expected that the Berlin Film Festival has decided to bid farewell to X by the end of 2024. The political leanings of its new owner, Elon Musk, have undeniably shifted the platform towards voices from the right-wing and far-right, a stark contrast to the values held by institutions like the Berlinale.
As a passionate movie buff, I find myself regrettably bidding farewell to social media platform X, as the Berlin Film Festival – a cherished event in my film lover’s heart – has decided to depart from it as well. This marks yet another high-profile European film festival stepping away, reflecting shifting trends and preferences within the industry.
On Monday, the Berlinale announced that it will bid farewell to X as of December 31, 2024, and instead concentrate its social media presence on other platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and its own website. The message ends by encouraging everyone to keep up with all things Berlinale in these digital spaces.
The article from The Hollywood Reporter indicates that the Berlinale festival hasn’t explained why it’s departing from the platform, previously known as Twitter, but it’s possible that Elon Musk’s political views aligning with conservative figures like Donald Trump play a role. Since Musk took over in late 2022, X has been more welcoming to right-wing and far-right voices, which conflicts with the progressive values of cultural institutions such as Berlinale. The Hollywood Reporter has sought clarification from Berlinale regarding their decision, but no response has been received yet.
The Berlinale will bid farewell to X on December 31, 2024. We’ve enjoyed your company throughout these years. Keep up with the latest Berlinale news on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, and our website. Looking forward to seeing you there! ❤️ #Berlinale
— Berlinale (@berlinale) November 4, 2024
Elon Musk hasn’t hesitated to express his views on German politics, frequently sharing and commenting on posts that align with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and their anti-immigration stance via retweets.
Previously this year, Alberto Barbera, who had been the director of the Venice Film Festival for quite some time, stepped down from his position. He cited that he no longer felt the motivation (which was already waning) to stay on a platform whose goals and values he no longer agreed with, which seemed to be a direct commentary on the political change within the platform since Elon Musk took charge.
The artistic director of Venice didn’t specify precisely which comments by Musk, following his acquisition of X in October 2022, prompted him to take this action.
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2024-11-04 22:54