The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) made a controversial decision to cancel further screenings of the documentary film “Russians at War” due to significant threats to public safety. Directed by Anastasia Trofimova, the film was denounced by the Ukrainian government for being propaganda. Despite being embedded with a Russian battalion in eastern Ukraine, the film failed to depict the horrors of Russia’s invasion accurately. TIFF’s unprecedented move to suspend screenings was to ensure the safety of all guests, staff, and volunteers. Ukraine’s Consul General in Toronto praised the decision, calling it the right move to combat Russian propaganda.
The film’s co-production by Canada and France aimed to shed light on Russian soldiers’ stories, but it faced backlash from Ukrainian diplomats and the Ukrainian Canadian community. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland criticized the film and TIFF for supporting it, emphasizing the lack of moral equivalency in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Under pressure, the Canadian agency TVO withdrew its support for the film. Despite controversy, TIFF stands by its initial decision to screen the film, promising to do so when it is safe.
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