The controversial documentary Russians At War, about Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, was to be unveiled to North American audiences on September 13, but the Toronto International Film Festival paused the screenings after receiving "significant threats." Since it was first shown in Venice earlier this month it has sparked outrage in Ukrainian cultural and political circles against what many consider a pro-Kremlin film that seeks to whitewash and justify Moscow's full-scale invasion of its neighbor. Festival organizers in Toronto initially refused to drop the film, but after protesters and diplomats called on them them to do so, they issued a statement saying they had been "made aware of significant threats to festival operations and public safety," and given the "severity of these concerns, we cannot proceed as planned."
Toronto Festival Drops Screenings Of Russian War Film Over Threats
Protesters gather outside the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) to protest Russians At War, a documentary about Russian troops fighting in Ukraine, in Toronto on September 10.