Ilker Catak, whose "Yellow Letters" won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, has reacted sharply to recommendations made by Germany's Ministry of Culture after Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle came under pressure. This pressure arose after filmmakers made pro-Palestinian statements during the awards ceremony, causing a political uproar. The supervisory board, which finances the festival, upheld Tuttle's position but formulated recommendations, including a code of conduct and an independent advisory board. Catak called external guidelines unacceptable for a festival dedicated to free expression and stated that such interference amounts to outright censorship, having previously stated that he would no longer submit films if Tuttle were fired.

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