TIFF has now canceled screenings of the controversial documentary “Russians at War” after a representative for the festival said they were made aware of “significant threats to festival operations and public safety.”
The 2024 festival generated protests from hundreds of demonstrators ahead of its planned screenings starting on Friday and through the weekend, but those are now paused.
TIFF stands by its prior statement defending “Russians at War,” saying it should not be seen as Russian propaganda. But the statement acknowledged that canceling such screenings is an “unprecedented move for TIFF.”
“As a cultural institution, we support civil discourse about and through films, including differences of opinion, and we fully support peaceful assembly,” the press statement reads. “However, we have received reports indicating potential activity in the coming days that pose significant risk; given the severity of these concerns, we cannot proceed as planned.”
“Russians at War,” which is directed by Anastasia Trofimova, follows the Canadian-Russian filmmaker who spent seven months embedded with the Russian army near the front line in Ukraine. People who saw the film when it premiered at Venice accused the feature of being Russian propaganda that whitewashed the horrors of the Russian army.
But Trofimova, TIFF, and others have defended the movie, saying it is a French-Canadian co-production and that the film was not made with the awareness or support of the Russian government.
Still, the documentary has been a lightning rod for protests, with several Canadian diplomats criticizing TIFF for including it in its programming, and TVOntario even pulling its support for the film. Over 400 Ukrainian protestors gathered outside the Bell Lightbox on Tuesday demanding that the screenings be canceled.
Read TIFF’s full statement below:
Effectively immediately, TIFF is forced to pause the upcoming screenings of Russians at War on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday as we have been made aware of significant threats to festival operations and public safety. While we stand firm on our statement shared yesterday, this decision has been made in order to ensure the safety of all festival guests, staff, and volunteers.
This is an unprecedented move for TIFF.
As a cultural institution, we support civil discourse about and through films, including differences of opinion, and we fully support peaceful assembly. However, we have received reports indicating potential activity in the coming days that pose significant risk; given the severity of these concerns, we cannot proceed as planned.
This has been an incredibly difficult decision. When we select films, we’re guided by TIFF’s Mission, our Values, and our programming principles. We believe this film has earned a place in our Festival’s lineup, and we are committed to screening it when it is safe to do so.