I've covered protests as a journalist. I've written a lot about film. I confess I didn't think I would be in a situation where film and protests would meet.
Russians at War stirred up trouble at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Charges of propaganda were flying, more than likely from people who hadn't seen the film. That p-word — propaganda — is often tossed around like candy on Halloween.
Despite the controversy, I didn't really want to see the film based on what I heard and saw in the trailer. I did feel like I had to see the film to find out the reality and truth.
I messaged a friend of mine as to whether there might be protesters at the Russians at War screenings at the 2024 Windsor International Film Festival. She thought there might be.
Often at a film festival such as this one, you barely have enough time in between films. My schedule was more open than I thought it would be. So I spent some time talking to the protesters who indeed were in front at both screenings in Windsor.
Journalists generally write about protests as opposed to covering them. TV cameras and newspaper photographers will capture the visual essence of their activity. They will look at a small crowd and make assumptions based on crowd size. What journalists should do? Talk to them as human beings.
They were the nicest protesters I have encountered in my years of covering protests. They were upset about the film. The deeper question is not their objections to a film, which they hadn't seen. The broader journalism question is asking: "Why are you here?" The film is a catalyst to their concerns about Russia's illegal occupation of Ukraine.
They felt that the war wasn't getting a lot of news coverage. They were concerned about the loss of the film Intercepted, which was scheduled to play at the 2024 Windsor International Film Festival. The producers pulled that film because they didn't want it at the same festival as Russians at War. I agreed with their disappointment on that decision.
One protester suggested that the festival show 20 Days in Mariupol. I explained to them that festivals have to get rights to show a film (PBS has rights in the United States). I appreciated that this person had an alternative film in mind. The idea of a small film festival devoted to this concern isn't likely yet intriguing.
20 Days in Mariupol (Ukraine) did make the shortlist last year for the Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film.
I ask a standard question to any protester: "Tell me what you would ideally like to happen in this situation." There were a variety of thoughts, such as "Cancel the screening" to "Show the films with context and discussion."
One young woman told me her story about her family who are still trapped in Ukraine. I feel like I won't forget that story and the look on her face as she was telling the story.
I explained to them that I was going to attend the film but felt like I also needed to talk to them. One guy told me, "I hope you don't enjoy the film." I told him, "I don't think I will."
2024 Windsor International Film Festival preview
'Russians at War' director talks critics and backlash (Front Burner — CBC Radio)
Can we tie the propaganda word to Russians at War?
One person in the Q&A at our screening said this film isn't Russian propaganda. The producer on hand was thankful to hear that. I am of an older generation who remembers the nuance between "Soviet" and "Russian." Generally, government action was referred to as "Soviet" and individual people as "Russian."
Russians at War isn't Vladimir Putin propaganda, a term to reflect what the government wants. The film is very biased and pro-Russian. Anastasia Trofimova gets embedded into a collection of Russian soldiers. The film shows why they think they are in Ukraine. Trofimova tells the reality to a few soldiers, which of course they deny as being real. Reading between the lines, you see the effect of Russian propaganda against its own citizens.
You see the machismo of these men, who likely wouldn't be doing much if there wasn't a war to fight. You see more of Ukraine, admittedly war-torn, than you will see on TV news in Canada or the United States.
The major issue with the film is that these are the soldiers of an invading force and being friendly to them. Those searching for context will not find any in this film, which happens mostly in documentaries.
The approach from the producer and the film's team is that the film is anti-war. The end of the film works harder to sell this narrative but the vast majority of the film almost feels like a promotional video for how cool war can be.
The producer dropped a major bombshell (maybe a poor choice of words) during the Q&A. They shot footage for 2 possible movies. She claimed to have footage of Russian protesters inside Russia protesting the Ukrainian invasion. Somehow, there was a choice to make that film or this film. Here are 2 immediate thoughts in my head:
- the other film is the film we should be seeing
- they never will release that other film
This film — Russians at War — isn't that interesting. Showing the wonted footage of Russian soldiers is not that exciting. Trofimova plays up the impact of lost lives on the Russian people, which feels hurtful given the lack of concern that Ukrainian casualties as a result of their country being illegally invaded by Russia.
This happened before the U.S. election and I can imagine that the Ukrainian protesters are greatly concerned about a lack of support to their cause from the incoming regime.
Imagine a similar film being very supportive of U.S. troops illegally invading Iraq in 2003 or German soldiers invading Poland in 1939. You can see the concerns of the Ukrainian protesters who feel like they are lost in this film and real-life battles.
TVO (TV Ontario) dropped its support for Russians at War during TIFF 24. Your humble narrator lost his chance to see Intercepted, hopefully not forever. 20 Days in Mariupol is an easier option on the United States side of the border.
I have not seen the other 2 films so I don't know if they would balance what I saw in Windsor. I am steps away from most people in that I saw the film AND talked with the protesters. I wish all of us could have talked after seeing the film to get their impressions.
2024 TIFF Canadian film preview
CanadianCrossing.com film coverage
3 films on the topic and some perspective is more ideal than censorship and blind accusations over propaganda. The producers behind Intercepted did their cause and the cause of protesters a great disservice by pulling their film from the festival. More voices are better in learning about a topic that, quite frankly, most Canadians and Americans know very little about what is happening.
Most of the protesters I talked to were not old enough to remember when the Soviet Union included Ukraine and a number of Eastern European countries during the Cold War. They do know the history, something most North Americans don't know or, sadly, don't care.
I told the protesters that whether or not I agree with what they were saying that I wanted to thank them for sharing their voices. Both countries have a history of allowing protests, something where we should be grateful. Thank you for sharing your stories with me and anyone else who found time to listen to what you had to say. удачі (udachi). Good luck!!
Who Do I Belong To wins 2024 WIFF Prize in Canadian Film
Russians at War was one of 10 films up for the $25,000 WIFF Prize in Canadian Film at the 2024 Windsor International Film Festival. The film was 1 of 2 films that weren't visibly Canadian as well as being a documentary. The award went to Who Do I Belong To.
photos credit: me
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