Ukraine's Foreign Ministry thanks Zurich Film Festival for cancelling public screenings of Russians at War

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine has expressed its gratitude for the decision of the Zurich Film Festival to cancel public screenings of the film Russians at War.

Source: Foreign Ministry on Facebook, European Pravda reports

Details: The Foreign Ministry noted that Russia should not be present in the international cultural scene.

At the same time, the Foreign Ministry called on the festival organisers to completely remove the film Russians at War from the documentary competition.

The ministry said in a statement that the only threat to the safety of its viewers, guests, partners, and staff was the influence of Russian propaganda, which justifies aggression and atrocities. It added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was consistently working to isolate Russia on the international stage to prevent the use of cultural, sports, and other arenas for spreading Russian propaganda and disinformation.

Earlier, the Foreign Ministry condemned the intention to screen the film Russians at War by Russian director Anastasia Trofimova at the Zurich Film Festival.

The film Russians at War was screened on 5 September at the Venice International Film Festival. The director stated that she spent seven months with a Russian battalion fighting in Ukraine, and it was a shock for her to see that they were "absolutely ordinary guys with families and a sense of humour".

The film does not show the destruction and casualties inflicted by Russians on Ukrainians. One of the soldiers in the film openly denies the accusations that Russian troops are committing war crimes. Trofimova says that while she was making the film, she did not see any such crimes.

Earlier, the Toronto International Film Festival set a new date for the presentation of the film Russians at War after cancelling the first screenings amid a wave of criticism.

Support UP or become our patron!