Kyiv-Based Molodist International Film Festival Calls on Festivals to Boycott Russian Cinema
variety.comJ. Kim Murphy The Kyiv-based Molodist International Film Festival has penned an open letter to the film community calling on other festivals to join in a boycott of Russian films as a response to the invasion of Ukraine by Russian military forces.The festival’s statement cites an ongoing effort by modern Russia to “separate culture from politics” and to “[use] that same culture to distract the West from Russia’s wars, human rights violations, censorship and persecution of political dissidents.”“There are Russian filmmakers and intellectuals who have been truly vocal in their dissent and criticism of Russia’s aggression toward Ukraine throughout these years, and we know some of them personally,” the statement reads. “We’re confident, however, that they will understand why we call for the full boycott of Russian films until Russia’s army is out of Ukraine and its government compensates for all the damage – because these intellectuals certainly understand that they have failed in their struggle.” The Molodist International Film Festival was forced to postpone its 51st edition on Friday due to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
The event was set to unfold between May 28 and June 5.“When you intend to give voice to Russians now, we want you to think about facing representatives of the Ukrainian film industry, festival programmers and filmmakers, and how you will look into our eyes knowing that some of our friends, family members or even some of us may not have survived this war,” the letter concludes.
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