The Russian film "Deaf Lovers" will remain in the main lineup of the Tallinn Festival.

The film "Deaf Lovers" by Russian director Boris Guts will not be removed from the main program of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF). This was announced by film director and PÖFF director Tiina Lokk, as reported by UNN referencing ERR.

"The film will be screened at PÖFF because we did not select it by chance; it is included in the program due to its artistic and substantive sharpness, and it provides an opportunity to discuss relevant topics," Lokk stated.

The world premiere of "Deaf Lovers" will take place at PÖFF, and according to Lokk, no one has seen the film yet, but she believes there is an enormous defamatory campaign underway against it.

"This film is under a very fierce attack from Russian opposition figures, Belarusians, and Ukrainians, who certainly have very different viewpoints, and this film can also be interpreted in many ways, which is part of its charm," she declared.

The festival also sent out a message to the public, emphasizing that "Deaf Lovers" is allegedly not a Russian film.

Festival organizers state that the film's author, Boris Guts, left Russia after the onset of the full-scale war and has been living as a refugee in various European countries, currently in Serbia.

It is claimed that he has repeatedly spoken out against the war initiated by Russia and the Putin regime.

However, there is no information on whether Guts has renounced his Russian passport.

Nonetheless, the film has been removed from the Stand with Ukraine program.

The film "Deaf Lovers" tells the story of a Ukrainian girl and a Russian boy who meet in Istanbul. Both are deaf and lack the money to live in an unfamiliar city, but the two young lovers spend time together, strolling carefree and seeking intimacy. However, according to Ukrainian directors, the relationship at the center of the film creates a misleading impression, considering how Russian soldiers have behaved towards Ukrainian women during the war.

Supplement

The State Agency of Ukraine for Film called on the organizers of the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) to exclude the Russian film "Deaf Lovers" from the main program of the festival.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine urged partners not to provide cultural venues to the Russian Federation.