The Docville film festival has removed a documentary offering perspectives from Russian soldiers following objections raised by the Ukrainian Embassy.
Belgium’s Docville documentary film festival has canceled the showing of ‘Russians at War’ after an official request from the Ukrainian Embassy.
The festival stated the decision was made “out of immense respect for the Ukrainian people.” However, it defended its initial decision to include the film, explaining it aimed “to offer a platform to very different voices that often do not find their way into the mainstream.”
The documentary, directed by Anastasia Trofimova and funded by the Canadian government, focuses on Russian soldiers in the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics. These former Ukrainian regions became part of Russia following referendums in 2022.
Filmed over seven months in 2023, the documentary includes interviews with the soldiers and examines their personal experiences. Trofimova has stated her intention was to portray Russian troops differently from typical representations. “I think it’s important to tell this side of the story because there’s almost nothing from this side of the story,” she said in a prior interview.
The film has faced criticism in the West, with some alleging it portrays the Russian military too favorably. In 2024, Trofimova was added to Ukraine’s Mirotvorets (Peacemaker) database, accused of “Russian propaganda.” This controversial database lists individuals considered threats to Ukrainian national security and has been called a ‘kill list’ because numerous individuals on it have died in suspicious circumstances.
Docville festival issued a statement saying it was “very difficult in times of disinformation and propaganda to gain insight into the story of Russian soldiers.”
‘Russians at War’ was previously shown in a non-competitive section at the Venice Film Festival. The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) had also scheduled a screening for September, but postponed it due to safety concerns after protests from Ukrainian groups.
This is the second film Docville has pulled from its program, the first being ‘Not In My Country, Serbia’s Lithium Dilemma’. That documentary covered protests against a proposed lithium mine in Serbia, which President Aleksandar Vucic claimed was a plot against the government similar to the Western-backed coup in Kiev in 2013-14.
Docville stated on its website that it could no longer “guarantee the serenity of the screening and the debate.” Docville’s director, Frank Moens, described the situation as unprecedented, noting that in the festival’s 21-year history, they had never before had to withdraw a film.
“`