Tilda Swinton Speech at the Berlin international film festival

Tilda Swinton has given a speech at the Berlin film festival in which she called out the “the astonishing savagery of spite, state-perpetrated and internationally enabled mass murder”.

Swinton was speaking after being awarded a Golden Bear for lifetime achievement at the festival, and without naming Ukraine, Gaza – or Donald Trump – excoriated what she called “our greed-addicted governments”. In remarks reported by the Hollywood Reporter, Swinton took aim at the “entitled domination and the astonishing savagery of spite, state-perpetrated and internationally enabled mass murder … unacceptable to human society”.

She added: “These are facts. They need to be faced. So for the sake of clarity, let’s name it. The inhumane is being perpetrated on our watch. I’m here to name it without hesitation or doubt in my mind, and to lend my unwavering solidarity to all those who recognise the unacceptable complacency of our greed-addicted governments who make nice with planet wreckers and war criminals, wherever they come from.”

Swinton also made a more explicit jab at Trump’s plan to redevelop Gaza as a coastal resort, by praising independent cinema as “an unlimited realm, innately inclusive, immune to efforts of occupation, colonisation, takeover, ownership or the development of riviera property”.

Swinton’s speech followed a vigil that took place at the opening ceremony in support of Israeli actor David Cunio, who was taken hostage in the 7 October attack on Israel and is yet to be released. The festival’s artistic director Tricia Tuttle joined actors Christian Berkel, Andrea Sawatzki, and Ulrich Matthes in holding up a photo of Cunio, with a documentary about Cunio, called A Letter to David, due to receive its world premiere at the festival.

Berlin’s 2024 edition was dogged by controversy over the Gaza conflict, with participants in the awards ceremony condemning Israel and calling for a ceasefire, followed by German politicians attacking the festival and Germany’s culture minister Claudia Roth describing the protests as “shockingly one-sided and characterised by deep hatred of Israel”. Tuttle later said that the controversy had meant that some film-makers were “questioning whether they want to come” to the festival over fears of censorship.

At a press conference following her Golden Bear award, Swinton said that she had not heeded the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign group’s call to boycott the festival after the 2024 protests as it would be “more useful” for her to attend. She said: “I’m a great admirer of and have a great deal of respect for BDS and I think about it a lot … I am here today – and yesterday and tomorrow and the next day – because I decided to come, I decided it was more important for me to come. I was given, thanks to the festival, a platform which I decided in a personal moment was potentially more useful to all our causes than me not turning up. It was a personal judgment call, that I take full responsibility for.”

Philippine Marketing Association Brings Global Marketing Leaders Together for Discussions on Industry Trends, Technology, and Sustainability

MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is set to host “Marketing Wars: Episode 6.0 and Beyond”, an integration of the 4th World Marketing Forum and the 53rd National Marketing Conference, focusing on the evolving global marketing landscape. Organized by the Philippine Marketing Association (PMA) in collaboration with the Asia Marketing Federation (AMF), the events are scheduled sequentially on November 6-7, 2024 at the Newport Performing Arts Theatre, Newport World Resorts, Pasay City, bringing together around 1,700 marketing professionals and industry leaders worldwide. 

The two-day conference explores the clash between human ingenuity and advanced technology, where marketers navigate the battle for operational excellence. It aims to examine how marketing professionals can harness the power of human creativity alongside the precision of machine intelligence, providing actionable insights to wield both effectively in today’s fast-paced landscape. Attendees will also gain strategies to navigate the rapidly changing marketing environment, covering topics from AI integration to sustainability-driven business models. 

“Our goal this year is to highlight the balance marketers must strike between the creativity of the human spirit and the capabilities of technology,” said Kathy P. Mercado, CPM, President of the Philippine Marketing Association. “By exploring how we can blend human insight with machine intelligence, we hope to empower our participants to develop strategic solutions for today’s complex marketing challenges.” 

The WMF on November 6 will center on “The Force of Marketing Awakens: The Strategic War for Excellence,” featuring a keynote address by Philip Kotler (via Zoom) and a live address by Hermawan Kartajaya, founder of AMF, on “Setting the Stage for Marketing 6.0.” Discussions will cover topics such as immersive marketing, integrating physical-digital experiences, overcoming digital fatigue, and achieving operational excellence. Other notable speakers include Roger Wang, President of the Marketing Institute of Singapore, Hooi Den Huan, Co-Founder of the Asia Marketing Federation Foundation, and Syed Ferhat Anwar, President of the Asia Marketing Federation. The event is expected to draw around 150 foreign delegates from AMF’s member countries across Asia, including Singapore, China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Mongolia, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. 

“It is our honor to host the World Marketing Forum as part of our 70th Anniversary Celebration of the Association,” said Sy Bryan Lato, CPM-Asia, PMA Immediate Past President, and Director for International Affairs. “The bid was done during a board meeting of the Asia Marketing Federation, and we are excited to show Filipino hospitality and present the world with the richness of Filipino culture.” 

On November 7, the NMC, now in its 53rd year, will focus on “The Next Gen Empire Strikes Back: Defining the Future of Marketing.” The event will center on three core topics: Marketing to NXT Gen (covering Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers), NXT Gen Marketing Best Practices (including Purposeful Marketing, SDG & Sustainability, and Journey-based Marketing), and NXT Gen Marketing Tools (exploring technologies such as RPA and AI). Industry leaders, including Jim Lafferty, Global CEO of FINE Hygienics, along with executives from global MNCs, FMCGs, and top Agora award winners, will share strategies on the future of marketing leadership. The day will conclude with discussions on sustainability marketing and a session titled “Winning the NXT Level Marketing Wars,” featuring Donald Patrick Lim, President of DITO CME, and insights from Agora awardees on future-ready marketing strategies. 

“The two marketing events go beyond simply exchanging ideas; they serve as a battleground where strategies are put to the test and new paradigms are shaped,” said Donald Patrick Lim, Overall Conference Chairperson. “The ‘Marketing Wars’ theme underscores the need for marketers to confront the challenges of a rapidly evolving landscape, equipping them with the insights and skills necessary to be future-ready.” 

In the lead-up to the event, PMA secured key partnerships and formalized agreements on October 2 with key organizations, including the Malaysian Chamber of Commerce, Indonesian Embassy, Department of Tourism, Newport World Resorts, Globaltronics, and GCash. The ceremonial signing was graced by His Excellency Dato Abdul Malik Melvin Castelino Anthony, Malaysian Ambassador to the Philippines. 

The event is supported by a network of allied organizations, including the Asia Center for Small Business Philippines (ACSB), Chamber of Real Estate & Builders’ Associations, Inc. (CREBA), Philippine Youth Entrepreneurs Association (PYEA), AI Global Council, The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry – National Capital Region (PCCI-NCR), Global Compact Network Philippines (GCNP), International Council for Small Business (ICSB), Malaysia Chamber of Commerce,Inc. (MCCI), Hotel and Restaurant Association of the Philippines (HRAP),Philippine Plastics Industry Association Inc. (PPIAI), Out-of-Home Advertising Association of the Philippines (OHAAP). 

Newport World Resorts serves as the venue partner, while supporting partners include Shoppertainment LIVE, Uniquecorn Strategies PR, Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment, and ZOE Broadcasting Network as the PR and communications partners. 

Registration for the 4th World Marketing Forum and the 53rd National Marketing Conference is now open. Regular ticket rate is at 11,500 Php for non-PMA members and 9,800 Php for PMA members. Special rates are also available for allied associations. For further inquiries, interested attendees may reach out to Jade Galande at jade@philippinemarketing.net.ph.