Artists demand that the Berlinale break its silence on Gaza

More than 80 artists accuse the Berlin festival of silence on Gaza and censorship of pro-Palestinian voices.

The Berlinale in the eye of the hurricane

The German film festival has a problem. And it’s not programming. More than 80 big names in cinema—actors, directors, people who have been there—have signed an open letter that is basically a slap in the face.

They accuse the Berlinale of maintaining a complicit silence regarding what is happening in Gaza. And to censor, subtly or not so subtly, artists who have raised their voices in defense of the Palestinian people.

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Among the signatories are figures such as Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton, Tatiana Maslany and filmmakers such as Mike Leigh and Adam McKay. They are not exactly rookies looking for notoriety.

“We demand that cultural institutions not be complicit in violence,” says the document.

The spark that lit this fuse was some statements from this year’s jury president, the legendary Wim Wenders. The German director said that “cinema is the opposite of politics” and that the festival should stay out of the debate about Gaza.

The signing artists responded forcefully:

“You cannot separate cinema from politics.”

And they pulled the newspaper archive: they remembered that the Berlinale has taken clear public positions in past conflicts, such as those in Ukraine or Iran. The implicit question is obvious: why not here?

What began as an aesthetic jury debate has become a perfect storm about the role of art in times of conflict. And the Berlinale, for now, still does not give an official response. The silence, in this case, sounds increasingly louder.

Wai Ching Ho, Marvel actress in Daredevil, dies

Actress who played Madame Gao died at age 82. Colleagues remember her fondly.

Farewell to Madame Gao

Wai Ching Ho, the actress who gave life to Madame Gao in the Daredevil series, died at the age of 82. The Netflix production confirmed the news, although the causes have not been revealed.

Peter Shinkoda, who played Kagenobu Yoshioka in the same series, was one of the first to react. Visibly affected, he shared:

“I will never forget you, I learned from you in every minute we spent together, both on and off the set. I learned wisdom thanks to you. We will meet again, my friend. You were a wonderful person.”

Producer Judy Lei also dedicated emotional words to him on Instagram. He remembered when Ho participated in the film The world’s greatest:

“She was super kind and generous. We lost the filming location and she arrived prepared, with her costume. She never showed disappointment in my lack of experience. I am very sad to know that it has come to light.”

Career

Wai Ching Ho debuted on television in 1987 with One life to live. He then appeared in series such as Law & order and Orange is the new black. However, her most remembered role was Madame Gao in Daredevil, Iron Fist and The Defenders.

Her last performance was in Only murders in the building (2023), where she played Mei-Mei.

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Fátima Bosch breaks the silence on the alleged link with Jude Bellingham

Fátima Bosch speaks out about the 'shipping' with the English footballer.

Miss Universe 2025, Fátima Bosch, already knows that her followers are pairing her with the English soccer player Jude Bellingham. But the reality is that they don’t know each other. The midfielder has a partner: the model Ashlyn Castro. However, the ‘shipping’ between the woman from Tabasco and the Real Madrid player became a trend during the 2026 World Cup.

When reporters approached her at the airport, Fátima took the opportunity to ask for a change. Faced with constant questions about her alleged romance with Giovanni Medina—Irina Baeva’s current partner—the young woman asked to be linked to another person. The journalists then remembered the ‘shipping’ with Bellingham.

What does Fátima think of the pairing with Bellingham?

The model acknowledged that she has seen the comments on Instagram that relate her to the soccer player. “I know he plays soccer very well, but I should know him because the most important thing is that the person is a good person, right?” he expressed.

Fatima avoided going deeper. For her, physical appearance takes a backseat to values. For now, there is no real approach with English. The rumor remained only in the imagination of the fans.

Clarifications about Giovanni Medina

In the same interview, Bosch reiterated that he had no relationship with Giovanni Medina. His father, Bernardo Bosch Hernández, has already announced possible legal actions against the businessman. Fátima prefers to focus on her reign as Miss Universe and leave the accusations behind.

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Cristo Fernández debuts as a professional soccer player in the United States

The Ted Lasso actor stepped on the court as a professional. His team lost 2-0.

A dream come true

Cristo Fernández, the Mexican who gave life to Dani Rojas in Ted Lasso, fulfilled his great goal: debuting as a professional soccer player. He did it with El Paso Locomotive, a USL League One team in the United States.

On Saturday he entered the 79th minute, when the score was still 0-0. The fans received him with a standing ovation. But the joy was short-lived.

Minutes later, Joseph Quiah broke the tie. Already in added time, Zico Bailey sealed the 2-0 for New Mexico United. Fernández played just over ten minutes in a game that his team lost at home.

The actor had trained for weeks to be ready. His signing with El Paso Locomotive was not a simple promotion: the club integrated him as a real reinforcement for the season. Although his time on the court was brief, the moment was recorded as a personal achievement and a nod between sport and entertainment.

Cristo Fernández has always combined his passion for football with acting. Before international fame, he played in youth categories in Mexico. Now, at 33 years old, he shows that dreams have no expiration date.

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