Ukrainian Cinema Union Calls Out Lionsgate, A24 and More for Releasing Films in Russia, Claims It Supports ‘Terrorism’
variety.comChristopher Vourlias Ukraine’s cinema union issued an open letter on Thursday calling on participants of the Cannes Film Market to halt all business with Russia.
The statement asserted that releasing films in Putin’s pariah state is akin to “support for terrorism” amid its ongoing war of aggression in the Eastern European nation.
The letter, which was written by the Ukrainian League of Cinemas, singled out a number of leading international indie distributors and sales agents — including Lionsgate, STXInternational, FilmNation, A24 and Pathé — whose films have been released in Russia since the start of the war. “Continuing to do business in Russia means supporting the Russian terrorist state with taxes,” the statement read. “These taxes are then turned into weapons with which peaceful Ukrainian cities are destroyed, and our friends and colleagues are killed and maimed.” Though Hollywood studios closed ranks in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion, pulling tentpole releases including Warner Bros.’ “The Batman” and Sony’s “Morbius” from Russian theaters, more than 140 U.S.
films were nevertheless released in the country last year after fighting commenced, according to data from Russia’s Cinema Fund, which tracks ticket sales at the country’s exhibitors.
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