Protest Under Pressure: Film Premiere & Panel Discussion
Schedule
Sat Jan 17 2026 at 06:00 pm to 11:00 pm
UTC+01:00Location
Spore Initiative | Berlin, BE
Advertisement
From police violence to court proceedings, intimidation, and (self-)censorship, German universities are increasingly cracking down on expressions of solidarity with Palestinians. Focusing on the Free University of Berlin, "Protest Under Pressure" exposes the dangerous interplay between media, politics, and institutional repression.By documenting testimonies, legal struggles, and the everyday climate of fear experienced on campus, the film offers a counter-narrative to media discourse and to Germany’s so-called “reason of state.”
This premiere invites viewers to reflect on the shrinking space for dissent and the urgent need to defend academic freedom, freedom of expression, and the right to dissent.
Who we are:
We are a collective of students and former students who have spent the past year working on this documentary project. Motivated by the escalating repression around us, we felt compelled to create a film that could speak to this tense historical moment and counter the growing limitations on freedom of expression.
Sharing this documentary publicly is, for us, both an act of resistance and a call to collective awareness.
This event is organised by the Association of Palestinian and Jewish Academics (https://pja-verein.de/), in collaboration with our student collective, united by a shared commitment to freedom of expression, anti-repression, and the protection of academic spaces.
After the screening, we invite the audience to join a discussion on repression, resistance, and the possibility of reclaiming academic and political spaces.
Program:
6:00 PM – Doors open
6:45 PM – Welcome & Introduction by Heba Tebakhi (PJA)
7:00 PM – Film Screening
(running time: 1h 30 min)
Break
Q&A with the Filmmakers
Panel Discussion:
Moderated by Michael Barenboim and Dana Abdel Fatah
Panel Participants:
Uli Beisel – Freie Universität Berlin
Hisham Abushamsieh – ELSC
Cecilia Fiacco – BDS, Freie Universität Berlin.
We look forward to welcoming you and sharing this moment with you!
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
Spore Initiative, Hermannstraße 86, 12051 Berlin, Deutschland, Berlin, GermanyEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
