The Ministry of Culture did not allow a Yakut film to be released due to “LGBT propaganda”

The film comedy “The Candidate” by the Yakut director Dmitry Shadrin did not receive a license for distribution from the Ministry of Culture of Russia. Officials saw signs of so-called LGBT propaganda in her due to the role of a male actor in women’s clothing, Sakhaday reports with reference to an anonymous source.

According to the plot, “Candidat” tells about the election of the head of one of the naslegov (village councils) of Yakutia. In the film, a character named Zina appears, played by Innokenty Orestov, correspondent of Sibir.Realii. Earlier, the actor appeared in this role in the film “Zina & Lyokha: Operation “Tail and Udder”.

In a conversation with journalists, film director Dmitry Shadrin neither denied nor confirmed the information about the refusal of cinema distribution. Judging by the film’s trailer, the premiere of the film was supposed to take place on August 31, but now, as Sakhaday notes, “The Candidate” is being shown “in the series”.

• Earlier, Roskomnadzor demanded that online movie rental services remove the film “Aita” by another director from Yakutia, Stepan Burnashev. The film was seen as a “demonstration of the inequality of persons on the basis of nationality.” The director did not agree with these accusations. The newspaper “Yakutsk Vecherny” carried the word “Roskompozor” and a frame from the film “Aita” on the cover, which was blocked by Roskomnadzor. “Aita” was released in March 2023 and collected more than 32 million rubles, becoming the highest-grossing Yakut film.