The Toronto International Film Festival has responded to controversy around the screening of a documentary film called “Russians at War” after protestors accused the film of being Russian propaganda.
A group of nearly 400 Ukrainian Canadian protestors gathered outside the TIFF Lightbox on Tuesday, September 10 demanding that upcoming screenings of “Russians at War” be canceled. TIFF says the film will continue to make its North American premiere at the festival on Friday as previously scheduled after it initially had its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
“TIFF acknowledges and respects the concerns expressed and discussion taking place about the Canadian documentary ‘Russians at War.’ The film will make its North American premiere later this week, as scheduled,” the festival said in a statement.
It continued: “This documentary is an official Canada-France co-production with funding from several Canadian agencies, at both the federal and provincial level. Our understanding is that it was made without the knowledge or participation of any Russian government agencies. In our view, in no way should this film be considered Russian propaganda. While we understand the concerns expressed by many, we believe, like the Venice Film Festival and other international festivals who have programmed the film, that this Canadian documentary merits a place in our selection.”
“Russians at War,” which is directed and filmed by Anastasia Trofimova, follows a Canadian-Russian filmmaker who spent seven months embedded with the Russian army near the front line in Ukraine. Trofimova interviewed soldiers about their fears and hopes, and the movie aims to show an unfiltered look at war from the Russian perspective.
Protestors and even some Canadian diplomats however have publicly condemned the film’s inclusion at the festival, believing the film whitewashes Russian war crimes.
“This is highly crafted Russian propaganda and unfortunately the festival has not demonstrated any willingness to address our concerns,” Ukrainian Consul General Oleh Nikolenko said in an interview via Reuters.
“It’s not right for Canadian public money to be supporting the screening and production of a film like this,” Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who is of Ukrainian descent, added also via Reuters. “We have to be really clear that this is a war where there is no moral equivalency. This is a war of Russian aggression.”
Trofimova has also defended the film publicly, saying that the project was not made with the knowledge of the Russian government and is a Canada-France co-production with backing from non-profit institutions.
“I want to be clear that this Canada-France co-production is an antiwar film made at great risk to all involved, myself especially,” she said in a statement. “I unequivocally believe that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is unjustified, illegal and acknowledge the validity of the International Criminal Court investigation of war crimes in Ukraine.”
The Documentary Organization of Canada also defended “Russians at War” after the board of directors for TVOntario made the decision to withdraw its support from the movie. The film was originally made in support with TVO as well as with other government funding.
“TVO’s team has traditionally operated with editorial independence, fostering essential collaboration with independent filmmakers through established journalistic processes of review and discussion,” DOC’s statement reads. “The Board’s decision undermines these fundamental processes and raises serious concerns about political interference, and must be confronted in order to preserve the integrity of our media institutions.
It continued: “Independent media is the cornerstone of democracy, essential for ensuring accountability and informed public discourse. Documentaries bring critical in-depth perspectives that allow for nuance, context and reflection. Protecting the documentary creator’s ability to explore controversial subjects is vital for a healthy society. This action by the Board of a public broadcaster to censor content poses a serious threat to independent media in Canada. TVO’s decision risks setting a dangerous precedent and must be immediately reversed.”
The film first faced controversy when it premiered at Venice. Ukrainian producer Darya Bassel in a Facebook post (via THR) decried the film after having seen it, saying it will try and “mislead you into believing that it is an anti-war film” and against the Russian regime but that it is “a prime example of pure Russian propaganda.”
TIFF, in addition to its statement on “Russians at War,” also re-issued an excerpt of a statement it previously issued in April for its Programming Statement for Peace.
“As a cultural institution, we stand for the right of artists and cultural workers to express fair political comment freely and oppose censorship,” the statement reads. “Because filmmakers, like all artists, work in dynamic engagement with their societies, we believe that our role as curators and presenters of film must stand for an unequivocal defense of artistic expression, and a commitment to provide safe, open spaces to engage, critique and reflect on artists’ work. We understand and deeply feel the suffering of the Ukrainian people as the result of an illegal Russian invasion. As we engage with the art made at this politically charged time, we are guided by the democratic values of freedom of conscience, opinion, expression and peaceful assembly as protected in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for all Canadians including Canadian artists.”
TIFF continues through Sept. 15 and has already dealt with a Palestinian protest during an opening night screening of “Nutcrackers” and a PETA protest interrupting Pharrell Williams biopic “Piece by Piece.” Another film playing at TIFF was also the subject of drama after the labor union IATSE accused producers of leaving crew unpaid almost a year after it finished filming.
