Canadian film festival suspends screening of Russian propaganda documentary

That’s according to a statement released September 12, seen by Ukrinform.

"TIFF is forced to pause the upcoming screenings of Russians at War on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as we have been made aware of significant threats to festival operations and public safety," the statement said.

It is noted that this is an "unprecedented move" for TIFF. “As a cultural institution, we support civil discourse about and through films, including differences of opinion, and we fully support peaceful assembly. However, we have received reports indicating potential activity in the coming days that pose significant risk; given the severity of these concerns, we cannot proceed as planned," organizers emphasized.

The statement notes that the decision to suspend screenings was made "to ensure the safety of all festival guests, staff, and volunteers".

"This has been an incredibly difficult decision. When we select films, we’re guided by TIFF’s Mission, our Values, and our programming principles. We believe this film has earned a place in our Festival’s lineup, and we are committed to screening it when it is safe to do so," the statement concludes.

Ukraine’s Consul General in Toronto, Oleh Nikolenko, welcomed the move, calling it “the only right decision”.

"Ceasing by the Toronto International Film Festival of the screening of Russians at War by a former Russia Today documentary filmmaker is the only right decision. This project has already done significant damage to the festival's reputation and given Russia a chance to further undermine democracy," said Nikolenko.

He promised to "continue to fight against Russian propaganda in every corner of the world using all peaceful and legal means."

As reported, Russians at War is a documentary by Russian-Canadian director Anastasia Trofimova, who had been embedded with a Russian battalion in eastern Ukraine for over six months.

The film was a co-production by Canada and France. The description says it tells the stories of Russian soldiers, which will allegedly help viewers better understand the war.

Despite calls by the Ukrainian community, the film was included in the TIFF screening program. On Tuesday, about a thousand activists protested the festival’s plans to air the documentary. Previously, the propaganda piece was screened at the Venice International Film Festival.

Under the pressure of Ukrainian diplomats and the community, the Canadian agency TVO, which financed the film, said it would no longer support it.

TIFF’s decision to suspend screenings is a reverse from their yesterday’s refusal to cancel screenings amid public outrage, citing freedom of speech.