Director of Canceled Georgian Film ‘The Antique’ Blames Russian Censorship Moves for Blocked Screenings at Venice Film Festival

As a seasoned film enthusiast with a penchant for uncovering stories that resonate deeply, I find myself deeply saddened and concerned by the ongoing censorship of Rusudan Glurjidze’s powerful work, “The Antique.” Having witnessed countless films that have challenged the status quo and sparked meaningful conversations, it is disheartening to see a filmmaker facing such blatant suppression.

Rusudan Glurjidze, a Georgian film director whose drama “The Antique” portrays the horrors of Russia under President Vladimir Putin, claimed on Friday that her work is being suppressed by an ongoing Russian campaign against the movie. She has appealed for support after the film was blocked from being shown at the Venice Film Festival.

In 2006, Russia serves as the backdrop for the film “The Antique,” which delves into the mass expulsion of thousands of Georgians from the country during that era. Notably, this movie was chosen by the Venice Days section, an autonomous entity separate from the Venice Biennale.

Earlier announcements mentioned that the screening for “The Antique” film, scheduled for Wednesday and organized by the sidebar’s organizers along with the Venice Biennale, has been canceled. This decision was made following an emergency injunction obtained by Bruno Della Ragione, a prominent Italian media lawyer, on behalf of three production companies – Viva Film in Russia, Avantura Film in Croatia, and Pygmalion in Cyprus – over a copyright dispute concerning the film’s script. The statement was issued by Venice Days.

Regarding specifics on the ongoing legal matter, Glurjidze commented: “As a filmmaker rather than a legal expert, I find myself situated in the heart of Europe and currently facing censorship. This situation seems highly concerning to me.”

“Without a doubt, I believe we’re facing a significant battle against censorship,” I continued, pointing out that if our movie fails to screen at Venice, “it might as well become a cinematic ghost.”

The organizers of Venice Days have promised to use all their resources to attempt lifting the injunction before the festival concludes on September 7th. “We’re doing everything possible,” said the section’s president, Giorgio Gosetti, without revealing the specific actions they are pursuing.

Additionally, Gosetti chose not to clarify if “The Antique” would be reviewed by the panel, thereby making it eligible for an award, regardless of whether it isn’t publicly screened.

Glurjidze mentioned that a Georgian legal representative is actively challenging the order issued by the Venice court judge. This decision was made without consulting the primary producers involved in the copyright controversy, who are central to the case.

“The story, titled ‘The Antique’, vividly depicts the harsh and illegal expulsion of fellow countrymen, focusing on the lives of four principal characters – Medea, Vadim Vadimich, Lado, and Peter, as suggested by its summary.”

Before the movie was stopped from being screened at Venice, Glurjidze stated that “Issues arose initially when the Russian ministry of culture requested the deletion of numerous scenes. The Georgian team resisted, resulting in efforts to hinder the production and eventually the seizure of the film materials at the border. Thankfully, two copies managed to be spared.” She claimed that “following this, they began to prevent the movie from being shown.”

The individuals responsible for the creation of “The Antique” are Zurab Magalashvili, Manana Shevardnadze, Andrey Epifanov, Tanya Petrik, Jussi Myllyniemi, Uschi Feldges, Ansgar Frerich, Eva Kemme, and Tatiana Detlofson.

The lead production company is Cinetech. The co-production companies are Cinetrain, Whitepoint Digital and Basis Berlin Filmproduction.

2024-08-30 18:47

Director of Canceled Georgian Film ‘The Antique’ Blames Russian Censorship Moves for Blocked Screenings at Venice Film Festival

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