German officials will investigate alleged anti-Semitic remarks made at the Berlin film festival.
At the ceremony, which took place on February 24, some of the winners were accused of making anti-Semitic remarks on stage about Israel's military action, which began after the Hamas attack, AFP reported.
American filmmaker Ben Russell, who wore a Palestinian scarf, accused Israel of committing "genocide" with its bombing of the densely populated Gaza Strip.
Palestinian director Bassel Adra said the Palestinian population was being "massacred" by Israel, prompting applause from the audience.
"It is unacceptable that the terrorist attack by Hamas on October 7 was not mentioned," German government spokeswoman Christiane Hoffmann said.
"Chancellor Olaf Scholz agrees that such a unilateral position cannot be left without consequences," Hoffmann said.
"In any debate on this topic, of course, it is important to keep in mind the event that caused this new escalation of the conflict in the Middle East - namely the attack by Hamas on October 7," she noted.
German Culture Minister Claudia Roth and Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner were also involved in the controversial situation that developed during the ceremony.
In a report by the leading tabloid Bild, a photo was published showing the two applauding Adra's remarks.
After the ceremony, Wegner wrote on social media that anti-Israel remarks were "unacceptable", adding that "anti-Semitism has no place in Berlin".
Hoffmann said that Wegner and the Minister of Culture will review the incidents and hold talks with the future director of the festival to ensure that similar incidents do not happen in the future./BGNES
