A letter signed Feb 25 2022 by more than 100 leading film festivals and organisations condemns the Russian invasion of Ukraine and expresses support for Ukrainian nationals and fellow film professionals during these unspeakably alarming and distressing times.
The letter reads (plus signatories):
We, the undersigned, express our support to the people of Ukraine in such a dire moment. The Kremlin’s aggression is a terrible act of war that has no place in modern society, in Europe or a democratic world.
We stand with the Ukrainian people and ask that the response of the international community will be adequate and Putin’s hostile act will not go unpunished. No country has the right to violate the borders of a sovereign state under the pretext of any lie. This is an attack on democracy.
We, the international documentary community of filmmakers and film professionals, condemn such an act of aggression. We call upon political representatives to take action, respond to the Russian invasion and to work together towards the withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine.
We ask the international community to support Ukrainian journalists, filmmakers and artists as they document their reality in the face of the ongoing information war also being waged against them.
Let us add that hatred towards Russian people based on the acts of individuals is also reprehensible. We also stand with the many Russians who condemn Putin’s actions, regime and who make many courageous contributions towards a free and just world despite the risks to their own personal safety.
Stay strong, Ukrainian friends!
Letters asking for more European action can be addressed directly to:
Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission
Rue de la Loi / Wetstraat 200, 1049 Brussels, Belgium
Signed by:
Institute of Documentary Film, Czech Republic
B2B Doc – Baltic to Black Sea Documentary Network, Sweden
Krakow Film Festival, Poland
Krakow Film Foundation, Poland
Documentary Association of Europe, Germany
goEast – Festival of Central and Eastern European Film, Germany
One World Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, Czech Republic
Human Rights Film Network, The Netherlands
Movies that Matter, The Netherlands
DokuFest – Int’l Documentary and Short Film Festival, Kosovo
San Sebastian Human Rights Film Festival, Spain
Nuremberg International Human Rights Film Festival, Germany
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Finland
HUMAN International Documentary Film Festival Oslo, Norway
International Film Festival and Forum on Human Rights, Geneva – FIFDH, Switzerland
Free Zone Film Festival, Serbia
One World Slovakia (People In Need Slovakia)
Stowarzyszenie FILMFORUM, Poland
Verzio International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, Hungary
Human Rights Nights, Italy
AfricanBamba Human Rights Film Festival, Senegal
Human Rights Film Festival Guatemala
Red Carpet Human Rights Film Festival, Palestine
Entretodos – Festival de Filmes Curtos e Direitos Humanos, Brazil
HUMAN RIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL OF NAPLES, Italy
Mezipatra Queer Film Festival, Czech Republic
AFO (Academia Film Olomouc), Czech Republic
Cinema in Sneakers Film Festival for Kids and Youth – Fundacja Cinemania, Poland
IMD – FICDH/FINCA, Argentina
Visions du Réel, Switzerland
DOK Leipzig, Germany
FIPADOC, France
Cannes Docs, France
The Polish Documentary Directors Guild, Poland
International Human Rights Film Festival Albania
Akademia e Filmit dhe Multimedias Marubi, Albania
MADOKE – Hungarian Documentary Association, Hungary
Trento Film Festival, Italy
Thessaloniki Film Festival, Greece
Fondation FIFDH, Switzerland
FIDMarseille, France
Bergen International Film Festival, Norway
Vermont International Film Festival (VTIFF), USA
Baltic Sea Forum for Documentaries, Latvia
When East Meets West, Italy
Nordisk Panorama, Sweden
Serial Killer TV Festival, Czech Republic
Sunny Side of the Doc, France
Points North Institute / Camden International Film Festival, USA
Noir Film Festival, Czech Republic
Square Eyes, Austria
Pitch the Doc, Poland
DocPoint – Helsinki Documentary Film Festival, Finland
Artišokai, Lithuania
Raina Film Festival Distribution, Finland
Cinéma du Réel, France
Movies on War, Norway
DOCI/IT Associazione Documentaristi Italiani, Italy
Festival MÁS Nicaragua
Glasgow Short Film Festival, United Kingdom
Sakdoc Film, Georgia
Human Rights Film Center, Nepal
Karama Beirut Human Rights Film Festival, Lebanon
exground filmfest, Germany
Národní filmový archiv, Prague, Czech Republic
ACT Human Rights Film Festival, USA
Docmonde, France
Filmotor, Czech Republic
Jeden svět Ostrava, Czech Republic
Visible Film, Belgium
Karama Human Rights Film Festival, Jordan
Jump Cut srl, Italy
Festival El séptimo ojo es tuyo de Sucre, Bolivia
Amandus Film Festival, Norway
EURASF – European Academy of Science Film, Austria
Deckert Distribution, Germany
IEFTA – International Emerging Film Talent Association, Monaco
CROSSING EUROPE Film Festival Linz, Austria
Vestnorsk Filmsenter, Norway
Moldox Festival, Moldova
Queer Voices, Moldova
PARISCIENCE international film festival, France
Association Science & Television, France
ANIFILM International Festival of Animated Films, Czech Republic
Paloma Films, Germany
LET’S CEE Filmfestival, Austria
Rete Cinema Basilicata, Italy
Docaviv, Israel
Sheffield DocFest, United Kingdom
Stray Dogs, Italy
Dokumentarfilmwoche Hamburg, Germany
Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival, Czech Republic
DAFilms.com, Czech Republic
Iceland Documentary Film Festival (IceDocs), Iceland
Czech Film Fund / Státní fond kinematografie, Czech Republic
Censurados Film Festival, Peru
Miami Jewish Film Festival, USA
Go Short International Short Film Festival Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Birds Eye View Films, United Kingdom
CORSO Film, Germany
Festival Miradas Diversas, Venezuela
Beldocs International Documentary Film Festival, Serbia
Nepal Human Rights International Film Festival
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Film Festival, Canada
asterisk*, Greece
In-Docs, Indonesia
More film and culture organisations are also invited to sign up.
The letter also published a list of vetted organizations to which donations may be considered.
