The Cannes Film Festival has announced that it will bar official Russian delegations and individuals with links to the Russian government from its 75th edition if the invasion of Ukraine is still ongoing by the time it takes place on May 17-28.
The festival said it would not welcome official Russian delegations nor accept the presence of anyone linked to the Russian government unless Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had been brought to an end in a way that was satisfactory to the people of Ukraine.
This approach means individual Russian filmmakers could still attend the festival, and leaves the door open for Russian titles to appear in the festival’s official selection.
The statement added: ”…we would like to salute the courage of all those in Russia who have taken risks to protest against the assault and invasion of Ukraine. Among them are artists and film professionals who have never ceased to fight against the contemporary regime, who cannot be associated with these unbearable actions, and those who are bombing Ukraine.”
The decision comes just days after the French TV festival and industry meeting Series Mania’s decision to bar Roskino, Russia’s state body for the promotion of the country’s film and TV content, from its upcoming edition, running March 18-25.
A number of European films bodies and festivals have gone further in their measures in response to the Ukraine invasion, imposing blanket bans on Russian films.
The European Film Academy (EFA) said on Tuesday that would exclude Russian titles from this year’s European Film Awards and supports a boycott of Russian films.
The Glasgow Film Festival announced on Monday that it had dropped two Russian films from its upcoming edition (March 2-13), saying it felt “inappropriate” to proceed with the screenings under the current circumstances.
The statement from Cannes came amid an increasingly difficult situation for the people in Ukraine as Russia stepped up its invasion of the country, bombing hospitals, schools and residential buildings as well as strategic sites.
According to United Nations figures released earlier on Tuesday, at least 136 civilians have been killed, 13 of them children, and 400 people injured since Russia began its invasion last Thursday (February 24). More than 500,000 people have also fled the country, most of them women and children.
Read the statement in full:
Statement from the Festival de Cannes on the situation in Ukraine
As the world has been hit by a heavy crisis in which a part of Europe finds itself in a state of war, the Festival de Cannes wishes to extend all its support to the people of Ukraine and all those who are in its territory.
However modest as it is, we join our voices with those who oppose this unacceptable situation and denounce the attitude of Russia and its leaders.
Our thoughts go out in particular to the Ukrainian artists and film industry professionals, as well as their families whose lives are now in danger. There are those whom we’ve never met, and those whom we’ve come to know and welcomed to Cannes, who came with works that say much about Ukraine’s history and the present.
During this winter of 2022, the Festival de Cannes has entered its preparation phase. Unless the war of assault ends in conditions that will satisfy the Ukrainian people, it has been decided that we will not welcome official Russian delegations nor accept the presence of anyone linked to the Russian government.
However, we would like to salute the courage of all those in Russia who have taken risks to protest against the assault and invasion of Ukraine. Among them are artists and film professionals who have never ceased to fight against the contemporary regime, who cannot be associated with these unbearable actions, and those who are bombing Ukraine.
Loyal to its history that started in 1939 in resistance to the fascist and Nazi dictatorship, the Festival de Cannes will always serve artists and industry professionals that raise their voices to denounce violence, repression, and injustices, for the main purpose to defend peace and liberty.
The Festival de Cannes Team
No comments yet