Ukraine Urges Tallinn Film Festival to Pull Russian Film Over War Sympathies and Anti-Ukrainian Portrayals

The State Film Agency of Ukraine and Suspilne have called on the PÖFF  Film Festival in Tallinn to remove the Russian film Deaf Lovers, which portrays a romance between a Ukrainian woman and a Russian man, from its program.

The film's trailer features a monologue by a Russian character expressing fatigue with the war. According to Suspilne Broadcasting's statement, this sentiment implies sympathy for the aggressor.

“One could argue that Ukrainian civilians, killed by specific Russian war criminals, have been reduced to mere background in a narrative of premature reconciliation—serving to illustrate the very notion of ‘moral decay’ that surpasses even the most flexible bounds of ethics,” wrote Suspilne.

According to the outlet, the film accuses Ukrainian soldiers of committing war crimes, specifically the torture of prisoners. Such a claim, presented in a fictional context, is not merely part of an artistic narrative—it is a clear example of instrumentalized “soft power' within Russian imperial narratives. 

“Its purpose is to blur accountability for actual crimes through post-truth methods and to legitimize these actions with a kind of implicit endorsement—namely, inclusion in the official programs of prestigious global events like the Tallinn International Film Festival,” Suspilne added.

Deaf Lovers is a movie by the Russian director Boris Guts, which was included in the official competition of the 28th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

“While fully respecting the festival’s right to shape its program based on principles of non-discrimination, diversity of opinions, and artistic freedom, we strongly urge the festival organizers to reconsider their decision and remove this film from the competition, as well as to decline any further screenings,” Suspilne stated.