The management of the Cannes Film Festival has taken a radical decision concerning the presence of Russian delegations at the next major film festival, which will take place next May.
Following the events in Ukraine and the invasion of the country by Russia, the Cannes Film Festival, by means of a long press release, took the floor on this subject.
The organizers have therefore decided to exclude official delegations from Russia and will not accept the presence of any body linked to the Russian government.
This sanction would eventually be lifted if the conflict finds a satisfactory outcome for the Ukrainian people, according to the authorities of the Festival, which will be held from May 17 to 28, 2022.
The press release from the Cannes Film Festival in full:
“At a time when the world has fallen into a serious crisis which sees part of Europe find itself in a state of war, the Cannes Film Festival wishes to express its full support to the Ukrainian people and to all the people who find themselves on his territory.
However modest it may be, we unite our voice with all those who oppose this unacceptable situation and denounce the attitude of Russia and its leaders. We have a special thought for the artists and professionals of Ukrainian cinema, as well as for their families, whose lives are in danger today.
It has been decided, unless the war of aggression ceases under conditions which will satisfy the Ukrainian people, not to welcome official delegations from Russia nor to accept the presence of any authority linked to the Russian government.
There are those we don’t know, there are those we know and whom we welcomed at Cannes with works that all say a lot about the history and present of Ukraine. In this winter of 2022, the Cannes Film Festival has entered its preparation phase.
It has been decided, unless the war of aggression ceases under conditions which will satisfy the Ukrainian people, not to welcome official delegations from Russia nor to accept the presence of any authority linked to the Russian government.
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. Among them are artists and film professionals who have never ceased to fight against the current regime and who cannot be associated with these intolerable acts and those who are bombing Ukraine.
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 injustice , and to defend peace and freedom.”
The Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa, awarded at Cannes for Donbass and very involved in the politics of his country, also made a point of speaking.
“On February 24, 2022, when the Russian regiments had just invaded Ukraine, the very first message I received was from my friend Viktor Kossakovsky, a Russian director: ‘Forgive me. This is a disaster. I’m so ashamed.” Then, later in the day, Andrei Zviaguintsev, still very weak after a long illness, recorded his on video.
Many friends and colleagues, Russian filmmakers, spoke out against this senseless war. When I hear calls today to ban Russian films, these are the people who come to mind, they are good people, dignified people.
They are just as much the victims of this aggression as we are. What is unfolding before our eyes at the moment is terrible, but I ask you not to descend into madness. Don’t judge people on their passports. They can only be judged by their actions. A passport is only due to the chance of birth, whereas an act is what the human being himself accomplishes.
(Translated from Russian by Joël Chapron)