TIFF Defends “Russians At War” North American Premiere Amid Ukrainian-Canadian Protests
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has reaffirmed its commitment to screening the Canada-France co-production Russians At War, despite protests from Ukrainian-Canadian groups. The documentary, directed by Russian-Canadian filmmaker Anastasia Trofimova, presents a personal account of Russian soldiers grappling with the realities of the war. The film will have its North American premiere on Friday at TIFF, following a debut at the Venice Film Festival.
Ukrainian-Canadian protesters, who gathered outside industry screenings at TIFF, have accused the film of promoting Russian propaganda. They argue that Trofimova’s depiction of Russian soldiers risks normalizing their role in the ongoing conflict with Ukraine. Protests have also been staged at TIFF Lightbox, with demonstrators demanding the film's removal from the festival lineup.
In a statement, TIFF defended its decision to proceed with the premiere, emphasizing that Russians At War was produced independently without the involvement of Russian government agencies. "We believe, like the Venice Film Festival and other international festivals, that this Canadian documentary merits a place in our selection," the statement read, adding that it opposes censorship and stands for artistic freedom. TIFF also reiterated its solidarity with Ukraine, recognizing the suffering caused by Russia’s invasion, while upholding the importance of free expression in artistic works.
The protests have also sparked a wider debate on media independence in Canada. Earlier this week, TVOntario (TVO), a key funder of the documentary, withdrew its support for the film. The network’s board of directors stated that the decision followed feedback from the Ukrainian-Canadian community. “TVO’s board has decided to respect the feedback we have received and will no longer be supporting or airing Russians At War,” the statement said.
The move was met with sharp criticism from the Documentary Organization of Canada (DOC), which condemned TVO’s actions as a dangerous precedent. In its statement, DOC argued that TVO’s decision undermined editorial independence, essential to maintaining the integrity of Canadian media institutions. “This action poses a serious threat to independent media in Canada, and must be immediately reversed,” the statement read.
Russians At War will screen to the public on Saturday and Sunday, with TIFF reiterating its commitment to providing a platform for films that provoke meaningful discussions, even in politically charged contexts.
Full TIFF statement:
TIFF acknowledges and respects the concerns expressed and discussion taking place about the Canadian documentary Russians at War. The film will make its North American premiere later this week, as scheduled.
This documentary is an official Canada-France co-production with funding from several Canadian agencies, at both the federal and provincial level. Our understanding is that it was made without the knowledge or participation of any Russian government agencies. In our view, in no way should this film be considered Russian propaganda. While we understand the concerns expressed by many, we believe, like the Venice Film Festival and other international festivals who have programmed the film, that this Canadian documentary merits a place in our selection.
In April, we issued a Programming Statement for Peace. Today, we would like to reaffirm this excerpt:
As a cultural institution, we stand for the right of artists and cultural workers to express fair political comment freely and oppose censorship. Because filmmakers, like all artists, work in dynamic engagement with their societies, we believe that our role as curators and presenters of film must stand for an unequivocal defense of artistic expression, and a commitment to provide safe, open spaces to engage, critique and reflect on artists’ work.
We understand and deeply feel the suffering of the Ukrainian people as the result of an illegal Russian invasion. As we engage with the art made at this politically charged time, we are guided by the democratic values of freedom of conscience, opinion, expression and peaceful assembly as protected in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for all Canadians including Canadian artists.
Full Documentary Organization of Canada statement:
The Documentary Organization of Canada is profoundly alarmed by TVOntario’s Board of Directors’ recent unilateral decision to withdraw support for the documentary “Russians at War.”
This project, a Canadian-French co-production, was developed through a multi-year collaborative effort involving the filmmakers and TVO’s Documentary team. TVO’s team has traditionally operated with editorial independence, fostering essential collaboration with independent filmmakers through established journalistic processes of review and discussion. The Board’s decision undermines these fundamental processes and raises serious concerns about political interference, and must be confronted in order to preserve the integrity of our media institutions.
Independent media is the cornerstone of democracy, essential for ensuring accountability and informed public discourse. Documentaries bring critical in-depth perspectives that allow for nuance, context and reflection. Protecting the documentary creator’s ability to explore controversial subjects is vital for a healthy society. This action by the Board of a public broadcaster to censor content poses a serious threat to independent media in Canada. TVO’s decision risks setting a dangerous precedent and must be immediately reversed.