Russian film 'Crimea' screening cancelled in Minsk

The screening of the Russian film production 'Crimea', described by many commentators as a propaganda movie, in the House of Moscow in Minsk on 26 October has been cancelled. Representatives of Rus Molodaya (Young Russia), the group that was organizing the screening and the meeting with the film director Alexey Pimenov told Euroradio 'techhnical reasons' were behind.

"The meeting with the director has been postponed for technical reasons to approximately some date next winter. There will be a meeting [with the director] only - no screening."

'Crimea' was not approved to enter Belarus' State Film Register and did not pass required qualification. On these grounds, authorities did not allow the screening on the territory of Belarus. Remarkably, the House of Moscow's executives learned about this decision on Monday... from Euroradion. In less than 24 hours, the organizers who had initially claimed they would go ahead with the illegal screening refused to proceed.

'Crimea', directed by Russian producer and director Alexey Pimenov, portrays the pro-Russian version of the annexation of the Ukrainian penisula Crimea by Russia in early 2014. The trailer in Belarusian cinemas and the prospect of screening in Belarus had caused a diplomatic protest from the Ukraine embassy in Minsk.