{
  "id": 1490622,
  "title": "Ukraine expresses deep concern over inclusion of Khrzhanovsky's \"DAU\" in Venice Film Festival program",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/17/ukraine-expresses-deep-concern-over-inclusion-of-khrzhanovskys-dau-in",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-17T13:49:42.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Interfax-Ukraine",
    "slug": "interfax-ukraine",
    "url": "https://en.interfax.com.ua/news/general/1193753.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and Foreign Affairs have voiced deep concern over the inclusion of Ilya Khrzhanovsky's film \"DAU\" in the Venice International Film Festival's main competition. The festival, a globally influential stage, grants significant recognition, making Khrzhanovsky's film's selection for the 83rd Venice Film Festival a matter of grave concern for Ukraine. As Russia continues its aggressive war against Ukraine, systematically destroying cities, cultural heritage, and national identity, the inclusion of a project linked to the Russian state sends an alarming message. The statement emphasized that culture should not be viewed in isolation from politics, nor should it be judged solely on artistic merit without considering the financial backers and interests served. The film's background reveals that it was funded by Russian businessman Sergei Adoniev, sanctioned by the U.S. and Ukraine, and with confirmed ties to Vladimir Putin's regime. Khrzhanovsky himself headed a project funded by Russian oligarchs linked to the Kremlin, which faced widespread criticism from Ukrainian and international intellectuals. Khrzhanovsky's film was shot in Kharkiv, now under Russian control, but the film portrays the city through a Soviet lens, ignoring its post-Soviet history and identity. This aligns with Russia's imperial narrative, which Russia perpetuates through its war against Ukraine. The statement urged the festival and the global cultural community to recognize how Russia leverages culture as an instrument of its hybrid warfare and to stop treating Kremlin-backed cultural projects as politically neutral. The Ukrainian ministries called for proper due diligence by all authoritative international cultural platforms to prevent legitimizing instruments of a state that continues to wage war against Ukraine under the guise of artistic freedom.",
  "summary": "The Ukrainian Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have expressed deep concern over the inclusion of Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s film \"DAU\" in the program of the Venice International Film Festival.",
  "key_points": [
    "Ukraine expresses deep concern over Khrzhanovsky's film inclusion in Venice Film Festival.",
    "Film portrays Kharkiv through Soviet lens, aligning with Russia's imperial narrative."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}