Organizers have said that it is festival protocol to invite democratically elected members of parliament to the opening ceremony.
Members of the AfD were elected to the Bundestag and the Berlin House of Representatives in the last elections.
Accordingly, they are also represented in political cultural committees and other bodies.
Berlinale red carpetGetty
That is a fact, and we have to accept it as such, the festival said.
TheBerlin Film Festivalruns Feb 15 25.
Andreas Wiseman contributed to this report.
