(Paris) The Cannes Film Festival plans not to welcome Russian delegations, “nor to accept the presence of the slightest body linked to the Russian government”, as long as the invasion of Ukraine by Russia continues, a- he announced Tuesday in a press release.
Posted at 5:41 p.m.
“It has been decided, unless the war of aggression ceases under conditions that will satisfy the Ukrainian people, not to welcome official delegations from Russia nor to accept the presence of any body linked to the Russian government” , details the largest film festival in the world, which will be held this year from May 17 to 28.
“On the other hand, we want to salute the courage of all those who, in Russia, took the risk of protesting against the aggression and the invasion of Ukraine”, continue the organizers, addressing the “artists”. and “cinema professionals […] who cannot be associated with these intolerable acts and those which are bombing Ukraine”.
“Cannes is used to welcoming Ukrainian filmmakers. Sergei Loznitsa, who was still in the official selection last year, told us that this support was precious. We wanted to mark our disapproval, however modest it may be, “said the general delegate of the Festival Thierry Frémaux to Franceinfo.
While the film selection process has just begun, “we haven’t seen a Russian or Ukrainian film yet,” he said.
This is the first time that the Festival, of which it will be the 75and spring edition, talks about the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The opportunity to recall that the very first Cannes edition was to take place in 1939 and to open on the 1er September, date of the invasion of Poland by Germany: it was consequently cancelled.
Two days later, France and Great Britain declared war on Germany, shelving for some time the project of a film festival in the south of France, to compete with the Mostra de Venice, at the hands of Mussolini.
“Faithful to its history, which began in 1939 in resistance to the Fascist and Nazi dictatorships, the Cannes Film Festival will always be at the service of artists and film professionals, whose voice is raised to denounce violence, repression and injustices, and to defend peace and freedom”, underlines the press release of the Festival.