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Moscow police raid cinema showing The Death of Stalin Moscow police raid cinema showing The Death of Stalin
(about 3 hours later)
Officers question staff at Pioner cinema, which defied ban on screenings of dark comedyOfficers question staff at Pioner cinema, which defied ban on screenings of dark comedy
Marc Bennetts in MoscowMarc Bennetts in Moscow
Fri 26 Jan 2018 15.26 GMTFri 26 Jan 2018 15.26 GMT
Last modified on Fri 26 Jan 2018 15.53 GMT Last modified on Fri 26 Jan 2018 19.06 GMT
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Armed Russian police have raided a Moscow arthouse cinema that defied a government ban on the screening of the Scottish director Armando Iannucci’s dark comedy The Death of Stalin. Armed Russian police have raided an arthouse cinema in Moscow that defied a government ban on the screening of Armando Iannucci’s dark comedy The Death of Stalin.
Six police officers and a number of plainclothes officials arrived at the Pioner cinema in central Moscow on Friday after the midday screening of the film, which revolves around the bitter infighting following the death of the Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in 1953. Officers would only confirm that they were carrying out an investigation. Six police officers and a number of plainclothes officials arrived at the Pioner cinema on Friday after the midday screening of the film, which revolves around the bitter infighting after the death of Joseph Stalin in 1953. Officers would only confirm that they were carrying out an investigation.
Plainclothes officials questioned staff and collected evidence that the film had been shown. Pioner management declined to comment on the raid, but staff insisted that further scheduled screenings of the film would go ahead. The culture ministry says cinemas that show it will face fines and possible temporary closure. Plainclothes officials questioned staff and collected evidence that the film had been shown. Pioner management declined to comment on the raid, but staff insisted that further scheduled screenings of the film would go ahead.
The raid came just days after the culture ministry abruptly withdrew permission for The Death of Stalin’s release on the eve of its scheduled 25 January nationwide premiere, after government officials and pro-Kremlin cultural figures had attended a private viewing. Pioner later announced that it was scrapping all further scheduled screenings for reasons beyond its control. It added that all further questions should be directed to the culture ministry.
An advisory committee to the culture ministry recommended that the film be postponed to avoid clashing with the 75th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Stalingrad, a key turning point in the second world war. Pavel Pozhigailo, a member of the advisory committee, said the film “insults our historic symbols – the Soviet anthem, orders and medals” and called it “blasphemous”. Committee officials say the film will be examined for “extremism” in comings weeks. The raid came just days after the ministry abruptly withdrew permission for the film’s release on the eve of its scheduled 25 January nationwide premiere, after government officials and pro-Kremlin cultural figures had attended a private viewing.
Oleg Berezin, head of the Association of Cinema Owners, which represents independent cinemas in Russia, said the culture ministry’s decision to withdraw the film’s distribution licence was illegal. “There has not been any court decision about this,” he said. The ministry said any cinemas that showed the film would face fines and even temporary closure.
The culture ministry ban comes amid Stalin’s renewed popularity in Russia: the president, Vladimir Putin, said last year that western countries were using the “excessive demonisation” of Stalin to attack Russia. In an opinion poll published in June by the independent, Moscow-based Levada Centre, Russians named Stalin the “most outstanding person” in world history. An advisory committee to the ministry recommended that the film be postponed to avoid clashing with the 75th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Stalingrad, a key turning point in the second world war. Pavel Pozhigailo, a committee member, said the film insulted Russia’s “historic symbols – the Soviet anthem, orders and medals” and called it “blasphemous”. Officials said the film would be examined for “extremism” in comings weeks.
The row has clearly boosted interest in the film. Tickets for its 10-day run at the Pioner quickly sold out after the cinema screened it for the first time on Thursday evening. Oleg Berezin, the head of the Association of Cinema Owners, which represents independent cinemas in Russia, said the withdrawal of the film’s distribution licence was illegal. “There has not been any court decision about this,” he said.
“I was 13 when Stalin died and I knelt down and wept,” said Oleg, a 78-year-old pensioner who managed to secure a ticket for a screening on 30 January. “They taught us that Stalin was a god. Then, later, when [Mikhail] Gorbachev was in power, they told us he was a murderer and a destroyer of our nation. Now they are telling us again how great he is. I want to see what this director thinks.” The ban comes amid Stalin’s renewed popularity in Russia. Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, said last year that western countries were using the “excessive demonisation” of Stalin to attack Russia. In June, Russians named Stalin the “most outstanding person” in world history in a poll carried out by the Levada Centre, an independent polling firm in Moscow.
Opinions differed as to its merits among those who had attended Friday’s screening. The row has increased interest in the film. Tickets for its 10-day run at the Pioner quickly sold out after the cinema screened it for the first time on Thursday evening.
“The film is good enough. But the period of Stalin’s rule was much more terrifying than this film depicts. Stalin was still alive when I was born, and my parents later told me all about what they had been through,” said Yelena, an elderly woman who attended the screening with friends. “I was 13 when Stalin died and I knelt down and wept,” said 78-year-old Oleg, who managed to secure a ticket for a screening on 30 January. “They taught us that Stalin was a god. Then, later, when [Mikhail] Gorbachev was in power, they told us he was a murderer and a destroyer of our nation. Now they are telling us again how great he is. I want to see what this director thinks.”
“This film mocks my country,” said Alexander, a middle-aged man, his face red with rage. “It’s a warped western view of the Stalin years.” Opinions differed as to the movie’s merits among those who had attended Friday’s screening.
“The film is good enough. But the period of Stalin’s rule was much more terrifying than this film depicts. Stalin was still alive when I was born, and my parents later told me all about what they had been through,” said Yelena.
“This film mocks my country,” said Alexander, a middle-aged man. “It’s a warped western view of the Stalin years.”
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The Death of StalinThe Death of Stalin
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