Yesterday TVO issued a statement attempting to excuse their funding of the Russian propaganda film Russians at War. The following is the UCC’s response:
TVO naively claims this film wasn’t authorized by Russian officials. A filmmaker can’t embed with a Russian military unit in occupied Ukrainian territory for 7 months without the knowledge, support and permission of the Russian state.
The filmmaker has a long association with RT (Russia Today), a propaganda arm of the Russian state, sanctioned by Canada. Amazingly she has claіmed that she somehow managed not to see any war crimes committed by the Russian soldiers invading Ukraine, who for her are “absolutely ordinary guys.”
The funding and support provided this film by the Canadian and Ontario government has produced a propaganda victory for Russia.
TVO neglects to mention that the filmmaker illegally crossed Ukraine’s border to make this propaganda film. TVO is abetting the violation of Ukrainian law and doing so with Canadian taxpayer money. This is reprehensible.
Finally, TVO’s claim that the movie is “antiwar” because it shows the “disillusionment” of Russian soldiers is insulting and ludicrous. Russian soldiers have killed, raped and tortured Ukrainians for 10 years. Showcasing their “disillusionment” while conducting an illegal, genocidal war of aggression is a disgusting perversion of the term antiwar.
We call on the Toronto International Film Festival to immediately cancel the screenings of this Russian propaganda film.
The UCC calls on the Governments of Canada and Ontario to immediately investigate the circumstances of how and why Canadian taxpayers’ money was used to fund Russian propaganda.
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