EU hosts film festival in Russia, organiser has links to Russian defence industry

The European Union Delegation to Russia is holding an online European film festival from 1 to 15 November, the organiser of which is linked to the Russian defence industry, regardless of Ukraine's protests.

Source: DW, as reported by European Pravda

Details: The European Film Festival in Russia is being held under the slogan "Cinema Unites!" which, as the EU Delegation in Moscow says, "emphasises the unity of cultures and interests". The film event includes 21 films from EU countries as well as two films co-produced by Russian and European film studios.

As DW has learned, Ukraine has asked the European External Action Service (EEAS) to consider not holding the festival. Several Ukrainian cultural organisations, such as the State Film Agency and the Ukrainian Institute, have publicly advocated this.

At the same time, Vazhnyye Istorii (Important Stories) news outlet noted that 4D, a contractor for the EU Delegation to Russia, has ties to the Russian defence industry. The company had a stand at the Russian military-technical forum Army 2022 for the Zaslon Joint Stock Company, a company subject to US sanctions.

In response to DW's request, the European Union's foreign policy service said they would not cancel the film festival in Russia, as the agreement with 4D had been concluded before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

They also claimed there were "no business or any other ties" between the EU Delegation to Russia and Zaslon JSC.

Background: Last month, the cultural centre of the Serbian city of Lazarevac cancelled the screening of the documentary film 20 Days in Mariupol by Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov under pressure from pro-Russian radicals [20 Days in Mariupol is a documentary about the siege of Mariupol in February-March 2022 during the full-scale Russian invasion – ed.].

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