Wednesday, 15 February 2023, 11:58 am. The phone rings. On the line is a friendly gentleman from the Berlin police (name known to the editors ;-) ) who announces, somewhat sheepishly, that a rally against Uber as a Berlinale sponsor is not allowed to take place near the red carpet. The organisers had paid money for the use of the Marlene Dietrich Square cinema forecourt and would not allow any disruption. The police are apparently taking care of it.

Alte Potsdamer Straße number 5, on the corner of Varian Fry-Straße, is the nearest address where an event is permitted. This is out of sight of the red carpet, over 200 metres away from the Berlinale Palast. This means that celebrities, ministers of state, stars and starlets can move undisturbed into the Berlinale spaceship, completely detached from the realities of Berlin. A dream factory for all those for whom normal life is a nightmare.

Another event is scheduled to take place at Alte Potsdamer Straße 5.

https://www.berlin.de/polizei/service/versammlungsbehoerde/versammlungen-aufzuege/
Berlinale 2023 - Protest against mass temporary employment and for higher wages in the Yorck cinemas,
18:00 - 20:30, 10785 , Alte Potsdamer Str. 5

That’s a good cause. We should join forces. Cinema from below. Maybe a Berlin court will still allow us to demonstrate on the red carpet. Let’s see.