Russia tried to BAN Paddington 2 branding popular film Western PROPAGANDA
RUSSIA tried to ban Paddington 2 over fears it is too popular and considered Western propaganda it has been claimed as the Kremlin takes issue with the foreign values in the children’s film amid fears it would be more popular than domestic films.
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The British family comedy was due to open in Russia on Thursday, but the nation's Ministry of Culture has blocked its release.
Russia’s Association of Cinema Owners slammed the move, and in a statement on Facebook complained of “unprecedented” government outreach.
The Association said in a statement: “You and your initiatives have turned the ordinary state service of issuing screening licenses into a censorship tool!
After a nationwide backlash and an official appeal to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev the decision was overturned and the film will be shown in Russian cinemas.
A two-year-old law means the Ministry of Culture can stop the release of foreign films in Russia if their release dates coincide with that of a locally produced film as part of a campaign to limit foreign influence.
It was the first time the law had been used.
Russia banned swearing in arts and media in 2014.
This is just the latest example of Russia’s initiative to prop up its own film industry.
Nine out of ten films are government funded and often cast Russia in a positive light.
The government had decided to push back the release of the Paddington film to 1 February, but after the uproar it premiered in Russian cinemas on January 20.
Prime Minister Medvedev said: "We have come to a consensus with the industry, and have decided to meet the Volgafilm company halfway and allow the release of the film tomorrow [Jan. 20].”
The Kommersant reported that Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky said the decision was made in the interests of Russian films and "not in the interests of Hollywood”.
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In 2015, Andrei Zvyagintsev's Leviathan, a movie about Russia produced by Russians, had its release date postponed by the Ministry of Culture even thought it was a hit at international film festivals and won a Golden Globe.
Leviathan was criticised as “anti-Russian” and in response, Moscow outlawed movies "defiling the national culture, posing a threat to national unity and undermining the foundations of the constitutional order".
However, the Ministry of Culture ultimately reversed course on that legislation, and public curiosity led to the film's wide release in Russia.
Mr Medinsky said at the time that the characters, shown taking swigs of vodka, "are not Russians" and that films "filled with a sense of despair and hopelessness over our existence should not be financed with taxpayers' money".