In social networks, outrage is spreading over a quote by Russian-Canadian director A. Trafimova about her attitude to Russian soldiers: “In Russia, they are heroes who never die. In the West, they are mostly war criminals.”
“The biggest shock for me was to see how simple they are. Completely ordinary guys with families, a sense of humor, who understand in their own way what is going on in this war,” she continued.
While filming the film, A. Trafimova spent time in a battalion of Russians fighting in Eastern Ukraine. According to Reuters, she worked there “without permission”, so her presence was allegedly not coordinated with the Russian authorities.
Another quote from A. Trafimova appeared on the Venice Film Festival “X” account: “Since the beginning of the war, many bridges have been destroyed between Russia and the West, which made it impossible to meet. This movie may not be able to rebuild these bridges, but I hope it can serve as a rope that I can throw to bring each other back together. We don’t usually hear the point of view of Russian soldiers, so I think it’s very important to dispel the fog of war: to see what a tragedy war is and to see people who are not connected to the black and white reasoning of politicians and war propaganda.”
The Venice Film Festival has not yet given an official position on the war.
True, Ukrainian director Darja Bassel watched the film: “Since our films are shown in the same program, I can’t keep quiet.”
She made arguments as to why this film is propagandistic and may create a wrong perspective.
“The director initially expresses surprise about 2022. Russian invasion of Ukraine. In her film she always uses the term “invasion” and never “wide scale invasion”. She does not mention that in 2014 Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea,” D. Bassel wrote on his Facebook account.
“Also, the story begins with a Ukrainian who now lives in Russia and fights on the Russian side. This is a very intriguing choice for the beginning of a story about the Russian war. Later, this character will claim that in 2014 A civil war broke out in Ukraine. He will also say that the Ukrainians bombed the eastern parts of their country (which is why they moved to Russia). Another character will state that Ukrainians are Nazis. We have heard these narratives before; they were (and apparently still are) widely and actively disseminated by the Russian media. One of those propaganda mouthpieces is the “Russia Today” channel, for which the director of the film “Russians at War” has previously made several documentaries,” D. Bassel continued.
Read the entire text of the Ukrainian director here:
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#Akibroksht #Venice #Film #Festival #film #glorifying #Russian #soldiers #shown #Culture
2024-09-07 14:55:14
What are the main criticisms faced by Anastasia Trofimova’s film “Russians at War”?
Table of Contents
Controversy Surrounds Russian-Canadian Director Anastasia Trofimova‘s Film “Russians at War”
A Russian-Canadian documentary filmmaker, Anastasia Trofimova, has sparked outrage with her film “Russians at War,” which has been accused of showing a distorted picture of reality in Ukraine. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it was met with criticism from Ukrainian director Darja Bassel, who argued that the film is propagandistic and creates a wrong perspective on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Trofimova’s Quotes Spark Outrage
Trofimova’s quotes about her attitude towards Russian soldiers have caused a stir. She stated, “In Russia, they are heroes who never die. In the West, they are mostly war criminals.” She also described Russian soldiers as ”completely ordinary guys with families, a sense of humor, who understand in their own way what is going on in this war” [[1]]. Some have taken issue with her portrayal of Russian soldiers as ordinary and relatable, rather than as war criminals.
Filming in Eastern Ukraine
Trofimova spent time in a battalion of Russians fighting in Eastern Ukraine, reportedly without permission from the Russian authorities [[1]]. Her presence in the region has raised questions about her objectivity and the potential for her film to be used as propaganda.
Defending Her Film
In response to criticism, Trofimova defended her film as an ”attempt to see through the fog of war” [[2]]. She expressed hope that her film could serve as a bridge between Russia and the West, which have become increasingly divided since the start of the war. Trofimova argued that it is essential to hear the perspective of Russian soldiers, rather than relying solely on the narratives of politicians and war propaganda.
Ukrainian Director Criticizes the Film
Ukrainian director Darja Bassel, who had her film shown in the same program as Trofimova’s, spoke out against “Russians at War.” Bassel argued that the film is propagandistic and creates a false narrative about the Russian invasion of Ukraine. She pointed out that the film uses the term “invasion” instead of “wide-scale invasion” and fails to mention Russia’s previous invasion of Ukraine in 2014 and its annexation of Crimea [[3]].
Concerns over Propaganda
Bassel also raised concerns about the film’s portrayal of Ukrainian characters, including one who claims that Ukrainians are Nazis and that they bombed their own country. These narratives, Bassel argued, have been disseminated by Russian media outlets, including “Russia Today,” for which Trofimova has previously made documentaries [[3]].
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding “Russians at War” highlights the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the conflict in Ukraine. While Trofimova’s film may have been intended to humanize Russian soldiers and promote understanding, it has been accused of distorting reality and creating a false narrative about the war. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how the film will be received by audiences and whether it will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the conflict.
What are the main criticisms leveled against the documentary “Russians at War” regarding its portrayal of Russian soldiers and the Ukrainian conflict?
Controversy Surrounds “Russians at War” Documentary: A Sympathetic Portrayal of Russian Soldiers
A new documentary film, “Russians at War,” has sparked outrage on social media due to its sympathetic portrayal of Russian soldiers fighting in Ukraine. The Russian-Canadian filmmaker, Anastasia Trofimova, has come under fire for her comments about the soldiers, stating that they are “completely ordinary guys with families, a sense of humor, who understand in their own way what is going on in this war” [[1]]. This has led to accusations of propagandism and creating a wrong perspective on the conflict.
Trofimova’s film, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, follows a Russian Army battalion in Ukraine, providing a rare glimpse into the lives of Russian soldiers involved in the conflict. The filmmaker spent time with the battalion without permission from the Russian authorities, according to Reuters [[1]]. This has raised questions about the authenticity and potential bias of the film.
The filmmaker has defended her work, stating that her goal is to “dispel the fog of war” and provide a humanizing perspective on the conflict. In a quote on the Venice Film Festival’s account, Trofimova said, “Since the beginning of the war, many bridges have been destroyed between Russia and the West, which made it impossible to meet. This movie may not be able to rebuild these bridges, but I hope it can serve as a rope that I can throw to bring each other back together” [[1]].
However, Ukrainian director Darja Bassel has spoken out against the film, accusing it of being propagandistic and promoting a biased narrative. Bassel argues that the film’s use of terms like “invasion” instead of “wide-scale invasion” and its failure to mention Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 distort the truth about the conflict [[3]].
Bassel also criticized the film’s portrayal of Ukrainian characters, stating that they are depicted as Nazis and that the film promotes Russian media narratives about the conflict [[3]]. The Ukrainian director has called out the film for its lack of nuance and its potential to create a wrong perspective on the conflict.
The Venice Film Festival has not yet taken an official stance on the controversy. However, the debate surrounding “Russians at War” raises important questions about the role of documentaries in shaping our understanding of complex conflicts and the responsibility of filmmakers to present accurate and balanced information.
References:
[1] https://www.euronews.com/culture/2024/09/06/sympathetic-view-of-russian-soldiers-creates-controversy-at-venice-film-festival
[2] https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32982707/
[3] https://kyivindependent.com/documentary-humanizing-russian-soldiers-fighting-in-ukraine-sparks-outrage-at-venice-film-festival/
