Oscar-winning filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar has declared that directors possess a “moral duty” to engage with political issues, speaking out against US president Donald Trump during the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
Almodóvar's Call for Artistic Responsibility
The two-time Oscar winner, promoting his new film Bitter Christmas, stated: “I don’t want to judge anyone, but I think artists have to speak out about the situation in which they live in contemporary society. It’s a moral duty.” The 76-year-old Spanish director criticized Trump’s attacks on free speech and warned that European nations must not allow similar forces to gain power. “Europe must never be subjected to Trump,” he said.
Almodóvar, renowned for films such as All About My Mother (Best Foreign Language Film, 1999) and Talk to Her (Best Original Screenplay, 2002), is widely considered Spain’s most prominent international filmmaker. He added: “Silence and fear is a symptom that things are going badly, it’s a serious sign democracy is crumbling. In Europe we have laws … we have to act as a shield against this madness.”
Contrasting Views at Film Festivals
Political discourse has been a prominent theme at recent film festivals. At the Berlin Film Festival earlier in 2026, jury president and filmmaker Wim Wenders argued that filmmakers “have to stay out of politics,” describing them as “the counterweight of politics” and “the opposite of politics.” His remarks sparked backlash, with actors Javier Bardem, Tilda Swinton, and Brian Cox among 81 artists signing an open letter questioning the festival’s “institutional silence on the genocide of Palestinians.”
At Cannes, Bardem, while debuting his film The Beloved, spoke about his fear of retaliation for his pro-Palestine activism. “The fear does exist,” he said. “Granted that one has to do things, even if you feel a bit scared or afraid. You have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror … There is no B plan, no alternative, and this entails consequences, which I’m fully ready to shoulder.”
The Cannes Film Festival, held annually on the French Riviera, is regarded as the world’s most prestigious film festival. This year’s event began on 12 May and runs until 23 May.
