The Ministry of Culture refused to issue a distribution certificate for Sokurov’s film

The Ministry of Culture of Russia refused to issue a distribution certificate for the film “Fairy Tale” directed by Alexander Sokurov. He announced this in his Telegram channel. Earlier, the department banned the showing of the film at the film festival. Even then, Sokurov assumed that his film would not receive a distribution certificate. At the same time, he noted that he did not know the reasons for the actions of the authorities.

“This is the next stage of censorship after yesterday’s cancellation of the showing of the film at the international film festival, where the law permits the demonstration of film productions without a “rolling”, – said the statement of the director.

Journalist Ksenia Sobchak also reported on the refusal to issue a certificate with reference to the document of the Ministry of Culture. In the document, the agency refers to the rules for issuing rental certificates for films. In the paragraph mentioned in the decision of the Ministry of Culture, a streamlined wording is given for what reason it is possible to refuse to issue a rental certificate: “in other cases determined by federal laws.”

• On October 13, it became known that the Ministry of Culture of Russia banned the screening of Alexander Sokurov’s film “Fairytale” at the international festival KARO.Art. The reason for the cancellation is unknown. Sokurov suggested that the authorities would also impose an unspoken ban on showing his earlier films.
• The premiere of “Fairy Tales” took place on August 6, 2023 at the Locarno Film Festival. Sokurov declared that this picture would be his last. The main characters of “Fairy Tales” are Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini and Churchill, who meet in hell. To depict these characters, Sokurov used footage from the documentary chronicle and texts of their real things. According to Sokurov, the film was shot without the participation of Russian actors and the involvement of Russian financing.
• Alexander Sokurov often criticizes the Russian authorities. In December 2021, during a meeting of the Human Rights Council, Sokurov had a conflict with President Vladimir Putin. In his speech, the director spoke about the fact that Russia needs to be changed, that there are many problems in the country that cannot be solved, and they cannot be buried in the sand. At the meeting, Sokurov also touched on the topic of the possible separation of regions in the Caucasus from Russia. Sokurov told Sever.Realii that he was upset that “the interlocutor did not understand what” the director was saying. Sokurov later apologized for the dispute with the president and told about the threats he received.