Persecution of culture in the Russian Federation is now worse than in the USSR

Film director, winner of multiple cinematographic awards, Alexander Sokurov, in an interview with the Russian Forbes, said that the pressure of the authorities on culture in today’s Russia is more severe than in the times of the USSR.

Sokurov mentioned the dismissal of Andrei Moguchey from the post of stage manager of the St. Petersburg Bolshoi Drama Theater. After his resignation, Sokurov published an appeal in support of the director and called his dismissal political. Sokurov also condemned the closure of the Small Drama Theater in St. Petersburg for formal reasons and condemned the arrest of director Zhenya Berkovich and playwright Svetlana Petriychuk. “The persecution of women for a political motive, the planting of women, even with children, is immoral by definition,” he said.

The filmmaker stated that, according to his guesses, most of the issues in the Ministry of Culture are now being resolved by “supervision specialists with military ranks who are actively working there.” In his opinion, this leads not only to the revival of censorship, but also to the intentional embitterment of society, which is a crime against the multinational culture of Russia.

Sokurov reminded that the law prohibits the use of political tools to regulate cultural life. “No matter how different the moods in society are, it is necessary to provide a “constitutional quota” for tolerance, for peace within the country. This task must be carried out by the state with the help of protective measures. Culture must be protected from politics and politicians,” suggested the director. However, he said, “Today in Russia, there are no talks with the country’s leadership, attempts to persuade them to change their attitude to culture, do not lead to anything. In the case of Russia, such a policy is turning the country into a minefield.”

Nevertheless, Sokurov promised that he will continue to defend cultural figures who are persecuted in Russia, as he considers it his creative and civic duty.

• Alexander Sokurov is a film director, teacher, People’s Artist of Russia. According to the decision of the European Film Academy, his name is included in the list of the 100 best directors in the world. Five-time participant of the program of the Cannes Film Festival, eight-time laureate of the PRESSA prize, winner of the “Golden Lion” of the Venice Film Festival for the film “Faust”, laureate of two “Nika” awards (“Faust”, “Russian Ark”), three-time laureate of the TEFI award.