Ukrainian director Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk criticised the Cannes Film Festival for including a Russian director in its line-up, as the debut filmmaker's Pamfir was shown at the Cannes Directors' Fortnight on Saturday.
The festival has banned official Russian delegations from attending, but Kirill Serebrennikov, a dissident from the country who has spoken out against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, had the premiere of his in-competition film Tchaikovsky's Wife at the festival on Wednesday.
"When he's here, he is part of the Russian propaganda, and they can use him," Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk told Reuters on Saturday.
Serebrennikov had said earlier this week that Russian culture should not be boycotted, saying that it "has always promoted human values".
Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk described the sensation of being in Cannes while his country fights against a Russian invasion as "alien".
"Everything what's happened here, it's something that would not belong in Ukraine — the peaceful life... We have [an] opposite reality," he said.
Set in the forests of western Ukraine's Chernivtsi region, Pamfir begins with the return of a father, Leonid, to his family after months of working in Poland.
A church fire attributed to Leonid's son Nazar forces the father to take up a quick smuggling job, angering the local contraband boss.
With references to Greek tragedy and the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac, the story of fighting for redemption has resonance with the ongoing conflict.
"The film is a reflection of the strength and power of the Ukrainian people, who are very strong and who will win," said Oleksandr Yatsentyuk, who plays Leonid. "It's just a question of time... because we can't be defeated."
Stars dazzle the Cannes red carpet on day four — in pictures:
-
Model Alessandra Ambrosio wears Alberta Ferretti to attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. AP Photo -
Monaco royal Charlotte Casiraghi wears Chanel to attend the screening of 'Frere et Soeur (Brother and Sister)'. Reuters -
British model Poppy Delevingne wears Dolce & Gabbana to attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Idris Elba wears a navy tuxedo to attend the 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)' screening. Getty Images -
French actress Marion Cotillard wears Chanel to attend the screening of 'Frere et soeur (Brother and Sister)'. Getty Images -
Belgian model Rose Bertram wears Pomellato jewellery to attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Norwegian model Frida Aasen wearing Alberta Ferretti attends the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
French model Flora Coquerel attends the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Actress Tilda Swinton wears Chanel to attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Spanish actress Rossy de Palma wears Valentino to attend the screening of 'Brother And Sister (Frere Et Soeur)'. Getty Images -
Ethiopian model Liya Kebede wears The Row to attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Colombian-Spanish actress Juana Acosta wears Armani Prive to attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Spanish model and influencer Marta Lozano attends the 'Three Thousand Years of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)' screening. AP Photo -
German blogger Leonie Hanne attends the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Reuters -
American-Korean model Soo Joo Park attends the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Maryam Egal, Sabrina Elba, Eve Elba and Idris Elba at the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
French singer Eddy de Pretto attends the screening of 'Brother And Sister (Frere Et Soeur)'. Getty Images -
Greek-American influencer Elena Galifa wears Vrettos Vrettakos to attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
TV personality Nilufar Addati attends the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Iranian TV host Diala Makki wears Georges Hobeika to attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Casey Affleck and Caylee Cowan attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Reuters -
Director Yi Zhou attends the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Influencer Meredith Mickelson wears Sophie Couture to attend the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Swedish model Victoria Silvstedt attends the screening of 'Brother And Sister (Frere Et Soeur)'. Getty Images -
Brazilian model Luma Grothe attends the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
French model Alicia Aylies attends the screening of 'Three Thousand Years Of Longing (Trois Mille Ans A T'Attendre)'. Getty Images -
Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan wears all black to attend the screening of 'Brother And Sister (Frere Et Soeur)'. Getty Images -
German vlogger Pamela Reif attends the screening of 'Brother And Sister (Frere Et Soeur)'. Getty Images
