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Putin's peace prize, Russian film propaganda on Canadian money, and more
Two and a half years of the Great War - and the same amount of time of isolation of the aggressor country. Not total, but still quite large-scale. Now that country is partially closed in on itself, because 70% of Russians do not even have foreign passports. Therefore, a bizarre, parallel world is being built there. However, there is no iron curtain with the surrounding world. This means that the whimsicality of the "Russian world" spills out and is further purposefully and systematically spread and imposed on the world.
For example, let's consider several elements of this "parallel world": Russian alternatives to the Olympics, the Oscars, the Nobel Peace Prize, as well as other, more specific examples.
AMBITIOUSNESS AND DEVASTATING FAILURE OF THE RUSSIAN ERSATS OLYMPIADS
In Erefia's propaganda broadcasts, one regularly hears: "But why do we need this/that Olympics / Oscar / Nobel Prize?... They don't let us in anyway. And let's organize something of our own!".
Of course, this was not an initiative from the grassroots, but a broadcast of thoughts from the top. Most often about sports, which all dictatorial regimes love very much. Therefore, at the government meeting in August of last year, Putin advised to restore order in the international movement, because "the Olympic Games are degrading." This must be done without fail. That's why two events were planned for 2024 to definitely overshadow the Olympics in Paris: the BRICS Games (Kazan, June 12-23) and the World Friendship Games (Moscow, Yekaterinburg, September 15-29).
The latter, as we can see, should be about to begin. But they were canceled. Strictly speaking, it was postponed to next year. Why did difficulties arise with this particular project? Because conceptually, it was immediately ambitiously announced as an alternative to the Olympics - a summer and winter version held once every four years. It is not surprising that the IOC reacted very sharply, explaining: sanctions will be applied to those who sign up for friendly games. Therefore, they were simply postponed for a year, in the hope that something would somehow change.
And the BRICS games took place. They passed not so brightly, but their records were also recorded. Russian synchro player Maltsev won as many as four gold medals. His victory in the free program was especially difficult, where he performed 1 (by letters - one) and therefore became 1 (by letters - first). He had one opponent in the technical program, and three or four in the two mixed disciplines, but he won there too.
Andryus Mazheika, a Lithuanian belt wrestler, had an equally exciting tournament journey. True, he has been receiving treatment for three years, but he was somehow declared for the tournament. And since he also had no opponents in individual matches, he even had a chance to get bronze. I remind you that you have never arrived in Kazan.
A great tournament, but I would call it not the BRICS Games, but the Kafka Games. It is possible, because the most important thing in the field is to have something to spend money on.
BRICS FILM ACADEMY – "OSCAR FOR THE GLOBAL SOUTH"
And Mikhalkov dreams of an alternative Oscar. Nikita-Besogon recently lacks international recognition for himself and his clan. That is why he has long been promoting the idea of a large international film academy and film award, for example, on the basis of BRICS (well, you understand, this is such a Russian tradition, when you want to expand something, you have to grab these five letters and make BRICS+).
Things are easier here, the film festival of this association already exists - since 2016. In Russia, it was held in 2020 and 2024 as part of the Moscow Film Festival, where the same Mikhalkov is the president. (There were several high-profile investigations into over-funding there, and BRICS can be written off even more).
And in April 2024, it was announced that next year it is finally planned to create a BRICS film academy and film award. And who said about it?... But they didn't guess - not Mikhalkov, but the head of the Foreign Ministry Lavrov. Which also shows an extraordinary higher interest in this story.
In all seriousness and without joking, this project in the propaganda sense is quite unpleasant and dangerous for us, unlike the pseudo-Olympics. China and India have very powerful film production, Brazil and South Africa also have enough good cinema. In addition, according to the "BRICS+" principle, anyone can be brought here. And cinematographers are very fond of fresh, new, unusual, "unspoiled" cinema from a wide variety of countries. Therefore, in the case of clever management and energetic film diplomacy, it may be possible to create a film academy-film award of the entire Global South. Moreover, one in which Russia will be the founder, which means that it will play a leading role.
Well, of course, if the Russians get their hands on it, and they don't steal everything on the way... But it's worth tying a knot in memory.
A frame from the film
"RUSSIANS AT WAR" - FROM VENICE TO TORONTO. AND THERE WILL BE...
And how comfortable the world of big cinema is for the promotion of Russian narratives is convincingly shown by the example of the documentary film "Russians at War" (2024), which has very strong signs of Russian propaganda. The scandal with him started last week at the Venice Film Festival and is now unfolding at the Toronto Film Festival. It can be predicted that it will continue and last for a long time in various other venues.
Photo: KUK
On September 5, the picture was shown in the out-of-competition program of the Venice Forum. And this caused a big informational and public explosion. In the film, the Canadian-Russian director Anastasia Trofimova communicates closely and frankly with the Russian military in the rear and at the front in the temporarily occupied territory of the Donetsk region. The selection committee of Venice declared it as an honest, frank and anti-war film, which should balance similar pictures from the Ukrainian side.
But in reality, everything is not like that - the image of the occupiers is highlighted in the picture, they are shown as normal, good people who are able to evoke sympathy. Yes, some of them criticize the Russian government, say that it is not clear what and why this war is going on, but they continue to fight. In addition, there are those - and their words are quoted - who are fighting entirely ideologically, they say that there has been a civil war in Ukraine since 2014, and in general the country is ruled by fascists...
In a long interview, Trofimova said that in this war it is not possible to be on anyone's side, but simply to be for peace. In the conditions of a war of aggression, such a position is in fact an aid to the occupier. However, the director says even more strange things (which many in the West believe): that she spent seven months shooting this film in the occupied territories... without permission. Once again: seven months - without permission, in the location of the Russian army.
This is perhaps the most infuriating of the documentary director Vitaly Manskyi, known to us for many films, in particular for the Ukrainian war film "Eastern Front" (2023). While working on it, one Russian cameraman went to film something from the Russian side of the war - and was immediately arrested.
Mansky called Trofimova's picture "professional" and "very important." But in exactly the same sense as the documentary tapes of Leni Riefenstahl, who worked in the Third Reich and for the Third Reich...
Russians at War is hotly debated at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) right now. Ukrainian diplomacy, together with our community, worked hard to stop the spread of pro-Russian propaganda. And in the end, the screenings were canceled. Which is good news. But they were canceled for security reasons, and not because of an understanding of the negative nature of the film. And in the future, TIFF executives are "determined to show it when it's safe to do so." So, an important local victory "here and now" has been achieved, but the situation has not been resolved at the root, essentially.
RUSSIAN FILM PROPAGANDA: UNDER COVER AND FOREIGN MONEY
And why so, must be considered separately. A very important factor is that this film passes everywhere as French-Canadian. French producers were looking for finance, Canadian institutions gave money. In other words, Russia is of no use at all. Only in the title and the main "heroes" are from there... In general, imagine how convenient the story is. Russia did not even have to spend its money on this really soft and cunningly wrapped propaganda.
37-year-old author Anastasia Trofimova is Russian by birth, but studied in Toronto and Amsterdam. In general, she has an extraordinary experience in documentary war cinema. Moreover, at the beginning of her film career, she collaborated with Russia Today. In 2015, the RT Documentary channel released her films "Victims of ISIS", "Her War: Women Against ISIS", in 2017 - "Congo, My Jewel" and "The Road to Raqqa". "But that was a long time ago," the director's democratic defenders will say.
Another important factor is that the tape is labeled as "anti-war". And the problem is that it is extremely difficult to deny it. After all, the complexities of war are shown there, there is some criticism of it. And the fact that the harsher truth is not shown, the crimes are not depicted, then... "What do you want," Trofimova's defenders will say. - It is impossible to show everything in the cinema. Creator's right to choose what to show. Are you against freedom of creativity?!".
So, we will still hear a lot of arguments, struggles, efforts from our side to clarify the real state of affairs in connection with this Russian propaganda, made with Canadian money.
PUTIN'S PEACE PRIZE - LOOTING OF LEO TOLSTOM
The Nobel Prize, especially the Nobel Peace Prize, is also jealous in Russia, as the nominees and winners often cause dissatisfaction here. Therefore, the idea appeared to establish its own, Russian peace prize. A peace prize from an aggressor country? That's right. It is clear that for Ukrainians this looks like some otherworldly cynicism, but no matter what, we will not expect manifestations of conscience from our north-eastern neighbor.
An important question is how to name the premium so that it looks attractive? The International Peace Prize and-and-and... Some famous name is missing. Who should I choose?... Well, not the academician Sakharova. There were really great options. From 1949 to 1955, the International Stalin Prize was awarded, and from 1956 to 1990, the International Lenin Prize "For Strengthening Peace among Peoples." Maybe the International Putin Peace Prize? I'm sure that there were also such options offered, but they decided that it was too much. Despite Putin's contribution to the philosophy of humanism, such as his maxim that "after the death of Mahatma Gandhi, he has no one to talk to." But then I remembered other historical words of the leader, that "Gandhi called himself a faithful disciple of Leo Tolstoy."
This is how the final poetic name appeared - L.M. International Peace Prize. Tolstoy The founders are the Russian Historical Society (its head is Serhiy Naryshkin, part-time head of the Foreign Intelligence Service); the Russian Military-Historical Society (the chairman is Putin's assistant, so to speak, the commissar for history, Volodymyr Medinsky) and the Russian Peace Fund (led by the head of the LDPR, head of the Duma Committee on International Affairs, Leonid "Zaychutka" Slutsky).
Well, that is, as you can see, the sweatshirt is sitting on the sweatshirt and driving around with the sweatshirt. By the way, there is not a word about Tolstoyism and its main principles (including non-resistance to evil with violence, rejection of enmity with any people) in the founding papers of the Prize and on its website. Instead, a stationery set of words:
"The name of L.M. Tolstoy, the scope of his legacy and personality most fully correspond to the idea and goals of the international peace prize, which is intended to be awarded to individuals and organizations that have made a significant contribution to the cause of strengthening peace and friendship between peoples."
And this is about Tolstoy, who during the Russo-Japanese war mercilessly beat up the outbreak of Russian chauvinism and repeated the wise opinion of one Briton that "patriotism is the last refuge of scoundrels." Raising this very name to the banner of the "Putin peace prize" is not just cynicism, but some kind of ideological, worldview looting. Now it remains to rename the "Yasna Polyana" museum to "Mutna Polyana".
PUTIN PEACE AWARD TOLSTOGO - FOOLISHNESS IN EVERYTHING
So, on September 9, the next day of Tolstoy's birthday, the first Tolstoy Peace Prize was awarded in the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. It was presented by the chairman of the award jury, the general director of "Bolshoy" Valery Gergiev. He also conducted during the concert in honor of the award ceremony.
The selection of concert numbers from Tchaikovsky's works looked especially funny here. The first is the solemn overture "1812" by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, written in honor of the war with the French, and the cantata "Moscow", written in 1883 in honor of the coronation of Putin's favorite conservative Tsar Alexander III. At the beginning of it, it sounds: "Hey, not a cloud in the blue sky has spread, / Evil Tatars are rolling across Russia, wall after wall." And the cantata ends with a direct appeal to the anointed one to unite all Orthodox countries under his hand and a solemn glorification of the sovereign, sovereign, heir and all their faithful servants.
What can I say - a perfectly selected repertoire for the international peace prize. This kind of Putin-style bigotry - with patriotic, imperial fists.
Who won the first Tolstoy Peace Prize? African Union. Moreover, the reasoning as to why he was rather vague, both in Putin's congratulatory letter and in Gergiev's speech. It seems not so much for "supporting peace and security on the planet" as for contributing to "the formation of a multipolar world order."
And here is an interesting detail: if you look at the list of countries of the esteemed African Union, you can see that the membership of a significant number of countries there has been terminated - after a series of rebellions. And these are mainly the countries of the Sahel zone. That is where the Russian PVK "Wagner" works. In other words, it is a bitter irony of fate that the awarding of such a prize at such an address can be considered a recognition of merit in Tolstoy's non-resistance to evil.
As a result, this award in everything, from the concept, the name to the implementation, looks like outright stupidity. But as they have already started, they will advance further. Thank you, Lord, that Tolstoy himself did not live to live.
RUSSIA'S WAY: FOR FOOTBALL IN HANOI, FOR RESORTS - IN THE DPRK
You can talk for a long time on the topic, there are many examples. The construction of a parallel world in Russia and its projections to the outside exist and continue in all spheres.
In the same sport, the press pretends that it does not understand at all why there is such "politicization" and why Russian teams are not allowed anywhere. And they are seriously discussing friendly, unnecessary matches of the Russian national football team. On September 5, the Hanoi team confidently beat the Vietnam national team 3:0 (it's so interesting). However, then nature itself rebelled, and the match with the Thai national team on September 7 in the same Hanoi did not take place - due to a typhoon.
The Russian national team has not played hockey since 2022, after the invasion. But it confidently occupies prominent places in the IIHF rating, recently moved from 3rd to 2nd. And if Canada does not win medals next year, then Russia will lead the ranking altogether. Without playing with anyone! Why so? Because she is annually awarded bonus points for previous championships in which she participated. Small, it seems absurd, but indicative.
And again - to the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Russians are invited to the ski and sea resorts of such a pearl of world tourism as the DPRK. And not only adults, but also children - to local camps (in a good sense), including the North Korean analogue of "Artek".
And Russian children from schools named after the murderers, participants of the "SVO", from classes in which there are desks named after the same "heroes" will go there. They used to sit here (in a good way), they were simple brawlers, hooligans. Then they became adult skinners, recidivists, and from prisons went to war, where they were liquidated. For this they are now so famous.
However, there are options for more advanced militarization - technical. On Wednesday, it became known that the old classic Soviet-Russian publishing house "Prosvescheniye" together with the UAV manufacturing company "Geoskan" released the first training manual on drones as part of the "Labor" educational subject. This is for 8th-9th grade students. Leading employees of the Russian Ministry of Education directly explained that in this case it is about acquiring skills "to prepare for military service."
And during these militant lessons of "Labour", the children will sing songs from the new opera "Prince Volodymyr" by the famous Russian pop singer Ihor Matvienko. The premiere will take place in February next year, with Shaman and Rastorguev as the main arias. Historically privatized by Moscow, the Kiev prince, who unfortunately had the same name as the current Russian dictator, should musically confirm the justice of this unjust war.
The construction of a parallel world in Russia continues and seems to be accelerating. Which makes it more and more dangerous for the whole surrounding world.
Oleg Kudrin, Riga
