Consul General of Ukraine in Toronto Oleh Nikolenko called on the Toronto International Film Festival TIFF not to become a platform for whitewashing the crimes of Russian soldiers in Ukraine and to cancel the screening of the propaganda Russian film "Russians at War", UNN reports.
"We strongly oppose the attempt to use the Toronto International Film Festival TIFF to whitewash the crimes of Russian soldiers in Ukraine. The film Russians at War, directed by former Russia Today documentary filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova, who recently challenged Russian atrocities in Bucha in her statements in Venice, deliberately distorts the realities of Russia's war against Ukraine," Nikolenko wrote.
He noted that portraying Russian soldiers as mere "pawns" and Russia's invasion of Ukraine as a "vile game" adds credibility to Russian propaganda narratives that downplay the severity and suffering caused by Russia's military actions.
"There are thousands of documented cases of rape, torture, murder and neglect of Ukrainians by Russian troops. Those who join the Russian army are offered large monetary compensation or expungement of their criminal record, and they make this decision with full understanding of their actions in Ukraine," emphasized Nikolenko.
In addition, according to him, the media's blaming of the behavior of the Russians who invaded Ukraine infantilizes the perpetrators and absolves them of moral and legal responsibility for their actions. The film Russians at War attempts to equate aggressor and victim by referring to the "human cost on both sides." Whatever the "human cost" is, Russia is guilty.
Nikolenko also noted that Trofimova's joining a unit of the Russian occupiers that fought in Russian-occupied territory of Ukraine to shoot the film also grossly violated Ukrainian law. Since the director did not receive the consent of the Ukrainian government to travel to the occupied territory, her crossing of the internationally recognized Ukrainian-Russian border was illegal.
"Given the severely restricted access and significant time she spent on the front lines, it is naive to believe that the Russian military or government was not involved in facilitating her travel. In addition, we believe it is very appropriate to reiterate the Ukrainian Canadian Congress's demand to the UCC to explain why Canadian taxpayer money is being used to fund Russian propaganda, which Canada is investing huge resources to combat," Nikolenko wrote.
He noted that, unfortunately, after weeks of intensive communication, the festival's top management did not demonstrate a desire to properly resolve the problems.
"We believe that the screening of the film Russians at War by Russian director Anastasia Trofimova is unacceptable. It is irresponsible to allow the Toronto International Film Festival, one of the most reputable film traveling events in the world, to be used to spread Russian propaganda. We call on the festival to cancel the screening of this film," emphasized Nikolenko.
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The Venice Film Festival screened the propaganda film Russians at War.
The head of the President's Office, Andriy Yermak, said that the screening of the propaganda film "Russians at War" at the Venice Film Festival is a disgrace.
"It is very interesting why the propaganda film Russians at War was shown at the Venice Film Festival at all. And why the director Anastasia Trofimova, as well as some other figures of Russian culture - a country that kills Ukrainians, our children, every day - can work in the civilized world at all. This is shameful," Yermak wrote.
He emphasized that this should not happen.
"Stop this absurdity," Yermak added.