Ukraine condemns inclusion of controversial Russian film in upcoming Venice Film Festival

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry has denounced the inclusion of Russian filmmaker Illya Khrzhanovsky's controversial film Dau in the upcoming 83rd Venice International Film Festival. The ministry argues that this move at a time when Russia is waging an aggressive war against Ukraine, destroying cities, cultural heritage and national identity, sends a troubling message.

Dau, an art and film project initiated in 2006, began as a film about Soviet physicist Lev Landau but expanded into multiple offshoots due to the volume of footage produced. A massive Soviet research institute set was constructed in Ukraine's eastern city of Kharkiv for the film, housing hundreds of actors. The project faced controversy due to allegations of exploitation and psychological abuse on set.

Khrzhanovsky, no stranger to controversy, faced backlash in 2020 when he was appointed artistic director of the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center in Kyiv, only to draw intense scrutiny because of its Russian financial backers. The film is reportedly closer to Khrzhanovsky's original vision, featuring footage from 2008 to 2011 alongside new material.

Khrzhanovsky's project has been financed by Russian businessman Sergei Adoniev, who has been sanctioned by the U.S. and Ukraine. Adoniev's company reportedly provides communication services to the Russian military. Lead actor Teodor Currentzis received Russian citizenship in 2014, and his orchestra MusicAeterna has received financial support from Russian state-linked entities.

The Foreign Ministry emphasized that criticizing projects like Dau is not about censorship but highlighting how Russia weaponizes culture. The ministry calls on the Venice International Film Festival and the cultural community to recognize Russia's use of culture as an instrument of hybrid warfare and stop treating Kremlin-backed projects as politically neutral.