Venice chief defends Russian director's film after Ukrainian backlash
Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera defended the inclusion of Russian filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovsky's "DAU" in this year's competition lineup, per Variety.
Barbera posted to Instagram, calling criticism a "petty and unacceptable act." He said "DAU" is not Russian propaganda, but a film that "denounces totalitarian regimes." He described Khrzhanovsky as a dissident on the regime's blacklist.
The backlash originated from a joint statement by Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Culture, and its embassy in Italy. They argued offering a platform to a project linked to Russian state influence sends a worrying signal while Russia's war continues.
The statement referenced the film's main actor, Teodor Currentzis, noting his Russian citizenship was "conferred on him by Vladimir Putin." It also pointed to funding from sanctioned Russian businessman Sergei Adoniev.
Barbera called the critiques an "inexplicable smear campaign against a film that its accusers have evidently not even seen yet." The film will compete for the Golden Lion in September.
"DAU" is the third in a projected 14-film sequence. Principal filming occurred from 2008 to 2011 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The project has previously sparked controversy over treatment of actors and use of unsimulated violence, which the director has denied.
