They are trying to turn culture into a weapon, said the director of the MIFF

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MOSCOW, April 23 Foreign directors who wanted to take part in the Moscow International Film Festival faced threats and blackmail, reported MIFF program director Ivan Kudryavtsev.
The Moscow International Film Festival opened in the Russian capital for the 46th time on April 19 and will last until April 26.

“Many of those who want to come to us are faced with difficulties in their homeland: with difficulties, with threats, with direct blackmail, with very unpleasant hints, with “good friendly advice” that one cannot help but follow, because if If you don’t follow them, the advice will turn into predictions that will come true for your career,” Kudryavtsev said on the sidelines of the MIFF.

He also noted that if earlier “on the other end” they reacted “somehow clumsily and uncoordinatedly,” now they began to work harmoniously and clearly. According to him, now filmmakers are deprived of the freedom they would like, in particular, to come with their films to Russia, carry the author’s message to audiences around the world, show it in Moscow and discuss it with the audience.
«»This type of cultural diplomacy is being suppressed. They are trying to turn culture into a weapon. These attempts, of course, are in vain. People still get there, show their films and sometimes even return in a different capacity to their country… Some of them are all- “I’m still drawn here,” concluded Kudryavtsev.
MIFF is one of the oldest festivals in the world, it was first held in 1935, the chairman of the jury was director Sergei Eisenstein. Since 1959, the festival began to be held regularly. Over the past 20 years, the festival jury has been headed by the world's largest filmmakers, including Richard Gere, Theo Angelopoulos, Alan Parker, Luc Besson, Hector Babenco, Kim Kiduk.