Russian director refuses to denounce lead actor despite criticism from Ukraine
Russian filmmaker Ilya Khrzhanovsky has defended his decision not to denounce his lead actor, Teodor Currentzis, for refusing to condemn the war in Ukraine. Khrzhanovsky, who has renounced his Russian citizenship, stated that everyone must bear the consequences of their own choices.
Why it matters
The situation reflects the ongoing tension within the arts community regarding the moral responsibilities of public figures during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Russian film-maker Ilya Khrzhanovsky at the premiere of DAU in Venice. Russian film-maker Ilya Khrzhanovsky at the premiere of DAU in Venice. Venice film festival Russian director refuses to denounce lead actor despite criticism from Ukraine Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s DAU, about physicist Lev Landau, stars Russian conductor Teodor Currentzis, who has refused to speak out against Putin’s war
Prefer the Guardian on Google The director of a controversial new Russian film has said “everyone pays for his own choice” when asked about his lead’s refusal to condemn Russia’s war in Ukraine.
In film-maker Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s DAU, which premiered at the Venice film festival on Wednesday, Greek-Russian star conductor Teodor Currentzis plays the eponymously nicknamed protagonist, Nobel prize-winning quantum physicist Lev Landau.
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