Trump under fire at Berlin film fest: Who said what

He hasn’t been anywhere near the red carpet but Donald Trump has taken centre stage at this year’s Berlin film festival, with actors, filmmakers and artists from around the globe rushing to condemn the US leader’s controversial policies.

Here are some of the most memorable quotes:

– ‘Ready to resist’ –
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MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL, US actress and Berlin film festival jury member:

“I want people to know there are many, many people in my country that are ready to resist.”

– ‘Tear down walls’ –
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DIEGO LUNA, Mexican actor-director and Berlinale jury member, on Trump’s plan to build a wall on the border with Mexico:

“I’m here to investigate how to tear down walls. There are many experts here and I will bring that information back to Mexico.”

“The only positive thing is that there has to be a reaction and I want to be part of that.”

– ‘Stimulating fear’ –
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RICHARD GERE, US actor:
“The number of hate crimes in the US went up enormously as soon as Donald Trump started running for president and I think you’ve seen the same thing here in Europe.”

“Unfortunately we have leaders that stimulate fear and that fear causes us to do really terrible things.”

He also slammed the US president’s travel ban, saying the “most horrible thing that Trump has done” since taking office last month was equating the words “refugee and terrorist”.

– ‘Devastating’ impact –
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STANLEY TUCCI, US actor-director, on his fears that Trump’s administration will have a “devastating” impact on federal funding for the arts:

“As a civilised society, the arts are not an adjunct to society. They should be an integral part of society and unfortunately a lot of America and a lot of politicians don’t see it that way.”

– Going nuclear –
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ERIC SCHLOSSER, journalist and producer of nuclear war film “The bomb”, voices his concern that Trump has his “fingers on the button” despite not having to undergo the same battery of tests as US military staff involved in the nuclear weapons programme.

“I think it’s safe to say that my current president would not be allowed in the Air Force or anywhere near a nuclear weapon.

“And yet he, right now, he’s the only person in the US authorised to order the use of a nuclear weapon.”

– Lessons from the past –
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GURINDER CHADHA, British director, on the parallels between her historical drama “Viceroy’s House” and today’s political climate:

“I feel this film is a timely reminder of what happens when you promote hate and division and start to criminalise a group of people. The end result is violence and death and history tells us that.”