Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has called for the withdrawal of public funding from the Canadian documentary Russians At War, which depicts Russian soldiers as weary conscripts on the Ukrainian front. Blacklock's Reporter says the film, promoted by the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), has sparked controversy for its portrayal of Russian troops amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine."We as a country have to be very, very clear that there can be no moral equivalency in our understanding of this conflict," Freeland said. "It’s not right for Canadian public money to be supporting the screening and production of a film like this."The documentary, directed by Toronto filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova, is described by TIFF as a "gripping first-person documentary" from the perspective of Russian combat units. The festival’s organizers described the soldiers’ experiences as one of growing disillusionment with "each gruelling day, each confusing command, each gut-wrenching casualty."The film received an unspecified grant from the taxpayer-funded Canada Media Fund, while TIFF itself was awarded $102,898 in federal grants in the past year from Canadian Heritage and Employment departments.Freeland’s remarks came unprompted during a press conference outside a Liberal caucus meeting. "There is a film due to be screened at TIFF today about Russian soldiers at war," Freeland said, adding that both Ukrainian diplomats and the Ukrainian Canadian community had raised concerns. "I do want to say I share those concerns."She stressed that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was clearly an act of aggression, where "there is very clearly good and evil." Freeland added: "Ukrainians are fighting for their sovereignty and for democracy around the world."Liberal MP Yvan Baker, chair of the Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group, also called for the documentary to be pulled, accusing the film of "whitewashing Russia’s crimes against the people of Ukraine" and absolving Russian soldiers of responsibility for the invasion and war crimes.The Ukrainian Canadian Congress condemned the film, questioning the use of public funds. "Why is Canadian taxpayer money being used to fund Russian propaganda?" the group asked, calling the film's portrayal of Russian soldiers’ disillusionment "a disgusting perversion of the term ‘anti-war.’"Neither Freeland nor Baker indicated they had seen the film, which has not yet been distributed in North America.
Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland has called for the withdrawal of public funding from the Canadian documentary Russians At War, which depicts Russian soldiers as weary conscripts on the Ukrainian front. Blacklock's Reporter says the film, promoted by the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), has sparked controversy for its portrayal of Russian troops amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine."We as a country have to be very, very clear that there can be no moral equivalency in our understanding of this conflict," Freeland said. "It’s not right for Canadian public money to be supporting the screening and production of a film like this."The documentary, directed by Toronto filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova, is described by TIFF as a "gripping first-person documentary" from the perspective of Russian combat units. The festival’s organizers described the soldiers’ experiences as one of growing disillusionment with "each gruelling day, each confusing command, each gut-wrenching casualty."The film received an unspecified grant from the taxpayer-funded Canada Media Fund, while TIFF itself was awarded $102,898 in federal grants in the past year from Canadian Heritage and Employment departments.Freeland’s remarks came unprompted during a press conference outside a Liberal caucus meeting. "There is a film due to be screened at TIFF today about Russian soldiers at war," Freeland said, adding that both Ukrainian diplomats and the Ukrainian Canadian community had raised concerns. "I do want to say I share those concerns."She stressed that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine was clearly an act of aggression, where "there is very clearly good and evil." Freeland added: "Ukrainians are fighting for their sovereignty and for democracy around the world."Liberal MP Yvan Baker, chair of the Canada-Ukraine Friendship Group, also called for the documentary to be pulled, accusing the film of "whitewashing Russia’s crimes against the people of Ukraine" and absolving Russian soldiers of responsibility for the invasion and war crimes.The Ukrainian Canadian Congress condemned the film, questioning the use of public funds. "Why is Canadian taxpayer money being used to fund Russian propaganda?" the group asked, calling the film's portrayal of Russian soldiers’ disillusionment "a disgusting perversion of the term ‘anti-war.’"Neither Freeland nor Baker indicated they had seen the film, which has not yet been distributed in North America.
