Ukraine calls to exclude Russian film ‘Deaf Lovers’ from Tallinn Film Festival

The State Film Agency of Ukraine has appealed to the organizers of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) to exclude the Russian film Deaf Lovers directed by Boris Guts from the festival’s program.

According to Ukrinform, the State Film Agency announced this on Facebook.

"We appeal to the organizers of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) to reconsider the decision to exclude the Russian film Deaf Lovers directed by Boris Guts from the festival’s main program," the agency emphasized.

"Given the aggression of Russia against Ukraine and the sufferings of the large number of Ukrainian people, it is of paramount importance to ensure that cultural platforms do not become tools for films blurring the boundaries of understanding the reality of Ukrainians," the statement reads.

The State Film Agency stressed that "providing the opportunity to show Russian films in the modern context carries the risk of propaganda justifying the aggression, which can be part of the aggressor’s information strategy."

The agency also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to present Ukrainian films at the festival and hopes for continued cooperation that will support freedom, human rights, and cultural independence.

As previously reported, the Russian film Deaf Lovers by Boris Guts tells the story of the relationship between a Ukrainian refugee and a Russian man in Istanbul against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine. The film has sparked outrage among Ukrainians.