(Toronto) Ukrainian officials are asking the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to remove a documentary about Russian soldiers from its programming.
In a letter to TIFF Director General Cameron Bailey, Ukrainian Consul General Oleh Nikolenko said the film Russians at War attempts to absolve the soldiers followed by the documentary of any responsibility for the invasion of Ukraine.
“It is irresponsible to allow the Toronto International Film Festival, one of the world’s most renowned filmmaking venues, to be used to whitewash responsibility for Russian soldiers committing war crimes in Ukraine during the ongoing Russian invasion,” Nikolenko wrote in the letter, dated September 5.
The documentary by Russian-Canadian director Anastasia Trofimova premiered at the Venice Film Festival last week and is set to make its North American debut at TIFF this Friday.
The synopsis on the TIFF website states that the film depicts soldiers’ disillusionment with war when they learn that the story they were sold in Russia is false.
In a written statement, Mr.me Trofimova claimed that the film was not propaganda and that it was made without permission from the Russian government, which exposed her to criminal prosecution in Russia.
I want to make it clear that this Canada-France co-production is an anti-war film made at the peril of all those involved, and in particular myself. I believe unequivocally that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is unjustified, illegal and I recognize the validity of the International Criminal Court’s investigation into war crimes in Ukraine.
Anastasia Trofimova, director of Russians at War
In his letter to Mr Bailey, the Ukrainian consul general wrote that he did not believe the documentary had been filmed legally, as access to Russian-occupied Ukraine is restricted and Mrme Trofimova was not given permission to cross this border.
He said that by screening the film, TIFF was making itself complicit.
Mr. Nikolenko also said that representatives of the Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto, the Embassy of Ukraine in Ottawa and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress had raised concerns with TIFF management in recent weeks, but had not received a satisfactory response.
TIFF spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment.