Sarah Harte: If the personal is political, every movie and story is political too 

A row has broken out between Booker prize-winning Indian author Arundhati Roy and celebrated German filmmaker Wim Wenders. Sarah Harte examines how facts are more likely to be remembered if they’re part of a story

The Berlin Film Festival is known as the most political of the big three film festivals, along with Venice and Cannes. File picture: Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP

Last week, the Booker prize-winning Indian author Arundhati Roy withdrew from the Berlin Film Festival over comments made by the celebrated German filmmaker Wim Wenders. You are reminded of the Woody Allen quote, "Intellectuals are like the mafia; they only kill their own." 

Picture the scene in Berlin. Gongs and glamour, red carpets, gorgeous frocks, men in suits, high octane tension with prestigious prizes on the slate, booze, egos, and the rest. A bunfight with the patina of artistic credibility is somehow more interesting.