The Belarusian film community has sent out an open letter to film professionals around the world, condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“We, Belarusian film community, strongly condemn the Russian military aggression against Ukraine. We are outraged that the Russian aggressor uses our territory for launching deadly missiles to Ukraine.
“Many Belarusian filmmakers were welcomed and supported in Ukraine after the repressions we suffered in 2020. We express our strong solidarity with the brave Ukrainian nation that fearlessly fights for the freedom of their country. As art people we clearly see the difference between the good and the evil. There is no place for evil in real life.
”We demand Russian troops to leave the territory of Ukraine and Belarus. We demand to stop the war immediately. Glory to Ukraine!”
The letter is signed by 76 Belarusian filmmakers, actors, crew members, festival programmers, curators, critics, and journalists, including producers Volia Chajkouskaya, Nikolai Lavreniuk, Konstantin Vorobey and Kaciaryna Stabrouskaja, Courage director Aliaksei Paluyan, Crystal Swan director Darya Zhuk, Where Are We Going director Ruslan Fedotow, and Where the World Ends director Anna Savchenko.
Fipresci
Meanwhile, the Ukrainian Fipresci branch and the Ukrainian Film Critics Association have called for their international colleagues to “abstain from participating in any film or other event organised, hosted or funded, directly or indirectly, by Russian Federation.”
The letter continues: “We urge you not to take part online or otherwise in any film festivals and cultural forums in the Russian state as members of Fipresci. Otherwise, you will indirectly legitimise all the horrors Ukraine is withstanding now and struggling with hybrid Russian aggression it has been enduring for the last eight years. We are asking you not to be silent and vocally support Ukraine whenever it’s possible.”
The letter is signed by 34 Ukrainian critics, including Yulia Kowalenko, a programmer for Kyiv-based Docudays UA documentary festival that had been scheduled to take place at the end of March.
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