Germany's famous international film festival, the Berlinale, is set to kick off on Thursday evening, as debates about right-wing extremism and Russian President Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine overshadowed the arrival of celebrities in the capital.
Most notably, the invitation and subsequent disinvitation of several politicians of Germany's far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) caused international uproar last week.
German director Christian Petzold, who is a member of the Berlinale jury this year, said on Thursday: "I don't think it's a problem to have five people from the AfD in the audience."
He added: "We are not cowards. If we can't stand having five people from the AfD in the audience, we will lose our fight."
Germany has seen a wave of protests against right-wing extremism and racism in recent weeks, with hundreds of thousands taking part in demonstrations in numerous cities.
The protests were triggered by a media report revealing a secret meeting of right-wing extremists, including several AfD officials.
The jury president, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, emphasized: "In the 48 hours I've been here, one of the things that is always mentioned is how political the Berlinale is."
The war in Ukraine is also a topic. Statements by Spanish director and jury member Albert Serra that were criticized as being pro-Putin were a topic of discussion on Thursday.
The comments were controversial, not least because Ukrainian author and Putin critic Oksana Zabuzhko is also on the jury.
