Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a surprise appearance at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, citing lines from Charlie Chaplin's masterpiece 'The Great Dictator', urging the film industry to fight the 'dictator'.



In a video speech, President Zelensky requested that the film industry reproduce the 'power of cinema' that Chaplin showed during World War II.



The Great Dictator, released in 1940, is a poignant mockery of Adolf Hitler and Nazism in a fictional country Tomania reminiscent of the German Nazi regime, directed, written and starred by Chaplin.



"Wars are killing hundreds of people every day," he asked. "Will the film be silent or have a voice?"



"If there is a dictator, if there is a war for freedom, the film should not be silent."



"Chaplin didn't bring down a real dictator, but that movie didn't keep the film world quiet," he said.



“We must win,” he said.



President Zelensky's speech that day received a standing ovation from the filmmakers and the audience.



This year's Cannes Film Festival

War is the main theme.



(Photo = Getty Images Korea)