At the Cannes Film Festival, one of the world's three major film festivals, the director's work, which has criticized Russia's Putin administration, was officially screened, and the audience gave a big applause.
This year's Cannes Film Festival has an unusual policy of not allowing Russian officials to participate in the military invasion of Ukraine by Russia.
On the other hand, Russia's Kirill Celebrennikov's "Wife of Tchaikovsky", who has been known for his satirical works of Russian society and has criticized the Putin administration, was nominated for the competition section for the highest award Palmdor. rice field.
The film was officially screened on the 18th, and director Celebrennikov and the actors who appeared walked on the red carpet leading to the screening venue and responded to the call of the press with a smile.
"Tchaikovsky's Wife" is the story of the 19th century composer Tchaikovsky's wife, Antonina.
Although she married Tchaikovsky, who is rumored to be homosexual, she was unable to establish a marital relationship, and her divorce was cut out from Tchaikovsky, causing her mental imbalance.
After the official screening, the audience stood up and gave a big applause to Director Celebrennikov.
Those who watched it said, "It is a brave director who came to Cannes while Russian officials who continue to invade the military are excluded from the festival." "The work is recognized for the rights of women and gays. It was set in the 19th century when it wasn't there, but I still felt that it was criticizing the conservative society of Russia, which was intolerant. "
What is Celebrennikov?
Russia's director Kirill Celebrennikov is one of Russia's leading talented directors, who was nominated for "LETO" in 2018 and "Petrov's Flu" last year in the competition section of the Cannes Film Festival. ..
He was also known to have satirized Russian society and criticized the Putin administration, and was temporarily held in custody at home for stealing national funds, so he could not participate face-to-face at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018 and last year. It means that.
In March, after Russia's military invasion of Ukraine began, Celebrennikov left Russia and moved to Berlin, the capital of Germany, to continue making films.
Director Celebrennikov "Russian culture has been anti-war"
Russian director Kirill Celebrennikov, who has been nominated for "Tchaikovsky's Wife" in the competition section of the Cannes Film Festival, held a press conference in front of journalists around the world at the festival venue on the 19th.
In this, Director Celebrennikov said that the movement to eliminate Russia and Russian culture is spreading all over the world against the background of the military invasion of Ukraine. I can understand. "
On the other hand, "Culture is air, water, clouds, and independent, so it is impossible to call for the exclusion of culture. Eliminating Dostoevsky, Chekhov, and Tchaikovsky is also possible in theater and music. We must also avoid denying movies, because theater and movies help people realize that they are alive. "
In addition, Celebrennikov said, "Russian culture has always appealed for human values, fragility, compassion for the soul, and compassion for the underprivileged. Since war destroys those values, Russian culture has always been. It has been anti-military and anti-war. It is those who declare war by throwing people in a hurry or not interested in human life and pain. War is incompatible with culture, drama and Music and movies are fighting to spread the value of anti-war. "
A documentary on the Mariupol stage where the military invasion continues is also screened
At the Cannes Film Festival in France, the documentary "Mariupol's 2" was also screened on the 19th in Mariupol, eastern Ukraine, where Russia's military invasion continues.
Lithuanian director Mantas Kubedarabitus, who worked on the film, filmed a documentary in Mariupol from 2014 to the following year, and re-entered the site after the Russian military invasion began to re-photograph the people he met at that time. rice field.
But last month he was detained and killed by Russian troops during filming.
In order to inherit the director's wishes, the co-director and fiancé Hannah Birobrova, who was with him at the time, took the video out of Ukraine and completed the work with the staff.
The Cannes Film Festival announced a special screening of "Mariupolis 2" on the 12th of this month, just before the start of the session, saying, "It's a work that people have to watch now, and we have decided to screen it additionally."
"I'm honored to be able to showcase Mantas' work and achievements at the Cannes Film Festival," said Virobrova, who gave a greeting before the screening. "I would like to thank my colleagues for making it possible to come here." While holding back tears, a big applause came from the venue.