Toronto Film Festival to Present 'Russians at War' Film Despite Protests.

Toronto Film Festival Does Not Cancel Screening of 'Russians at War'

The Canadian International Film Festival in Toronto (TIFF) has refused to cancel screenings of the Russian film 'Russians at War'. This was reported by the festival's organizers.

TIFF representatives believe that the film is not Russian propaganda since it is a Canadian-French co-production and was funded by Canadian agencies.

As far as we understand, it was created without the knowledge or participation of Russian state bodies. In our opinion, this film cannot in any way be considered Russian propaganda. While we understand the concerns expressed by many, we believe that this Canadian documentary deserves a place in our lineup, the organizers said.

The North American premiere of the film will take place later this week, as planned.

TIFF organizers believe that their role as curators and presenters of films is to protect artistic expression and provide safe, open spaces for interaction, criticism, and reflection on the work of artists.

However, the Consul General of Ukraine in Toronto, Oleg Nikolenko, expressed his disappointment with the film festival administration's stance. He emphasized that it is important not to confuse Russian propaganda with freedom of speech and called for the remaining screenings of the film to be canceled.

'Russians at War' is a documentary film by Russian-Canadian director Anastasia Trofimova, who spent a long time filming with a Russian battalion in eastern Ukraine.

A rally in Toronto saw Kyiv expressing protest against the film's screening, and the Verkhovna Rada called on Canada not to present it at the festival.