New fantasy book parallels current and historical events in Ukraine
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Winnipeg Free Press
27 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Russians at War' team on ‘shocking' backlash to film and direct-to-audience release
Anastasia Trofimova risked her life to make 'Russians at War' — and then spent the next year fighting to have the film shown. Now, after months of cancellations, protests and threats, the controversial documentary will bypass traditional channels and release directly to audiences on Tuesday. The film, which follows Russian soldiers on the front lines of the war in Ukraine, drew a standing ovation at its Venice world premiere in 2024 but quickly became a lightning rod. Its North American debut at TIFF last year was met with demonstrations from pro-Ukraine groups who called it Russian propaganda. Its screenings had to be rescheduled due to 'significant threats to festival operations and public safety.' The blowback continued throughout the year, with festivals including Athens and Zurich withdrawing the film due to mounting protests and security concerns. Meanwhile, TVO scrapped plans to air the documentary after the backlash, leaving it without a distributor. 'I was getting death threats and all sorts of abuse,' says Trofimova of the backlash. 'It was shocking. You go to the war against all odds, you bring back a story, you go deeper than other people because you're that much more obsessed about it, and you are getting attacked by people who have not been even close to the war, but they're telling you what it's like.' The Russian-Canadian director points out that many of the film's detractors said they hadn't seen the film and didn't intend to. 'They're refusing to see the film, but have very strong opinions on it. So that's been a bit surprising,' she says on a video call. In 'Russians at War,' Trofimova embeds herself with Russian troops on the front lines of the conflict in Ukraine, capturing their personal experiences and perspectives. While some have praised it for its unfiltered portrayal of soldiers' realities, others have criticized it for lacking historical and political context about the invasion, raising concerns that it might whitewash the actions of the Russian military. The film's producer Cornelia Principe says the direct-to-audience release is 'partly by design, partly by necessity.' 'It was important for us to get it out there so people can see it, because part of the controversy is coming from places where people haven't seen the film,' explains the Oscar-nominated producer behind 2022's 'To Kill a Tiger.' Principe says 'Russians at War' is still being shopped to European broadcasters and will air on British Columbia's Knowledge Network this fall as part of a series of films about the war in Ukraine. Lawyers representing the film threatened TVO with legal action last year for pulling the film, but Principe says both parties have since reached 'a mutually satisfactory settlement of our dispute and have agreed not to comment further.' She says her production company, Raja Pictures, has reclaimed the film's rights. The film is available to rent worldwide at except in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus, where producers plan to offer it for free at a later date. Principe says they took inspiration from the Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land,' about the Israel-Palestine conflict, and 'Union,' which follows Amazon workers' fight to unionize — both titles faced distribution hurdles and ultimately went the direct-to-audience route. Trofimova says the intense backlash to 'Russians at War' revealed just how vulnerable films can be to organized attacks. 'It was shocking how easy it is to attack a film. If you are an interest group, if you're a state, if you're a corporation, it's not that hard to get screenings cancelled or to muddy the waters around what it's about,' she says. 'How do we make complex films and get them out there, despite the fact that they will most likely be attacked by some sort of interest group?' Principe worries about the chilling effect such pressure could have on creative freedom. 'Are we leading to situations where filmmakers will self-censor, where broadcasters will self-censor, where festivals will self-censor and not take on difficult things?' Still, Principe says she and Trofimova 'listened to what people were saying.' Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. In response to criticism that 'Russians at War' lacked sufficient context on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, they added an introductory card to the direct-to-audience version noting that the invasion is 'the deadliest conflict on European soil since WWII' and that war crimes investigations by the International Criminal Court are underway. As for those still reluctant to watch the film, Trofimova says: 'Watch it when you're ready.' 'It's not a film where it's like 'gotcha.' It's not a film where I aimed to dehumanize someone. It's a document of history and this war is scary. And this war, it is a tragedy and it's still continuing. And when you watch it, just know that it's continuing,' she says. 'I hope, on the human part, we can see each other as people, and I hope that once you see what war looks like, anyone who has any illusions will understand a little bit more.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 12, 2025.
CTV News
27 minutes ago
- CTV News
Canada's energy minister holds dual Canadian-U.S. citizenship, sees ‘no reason' to renounce
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson arrives for a meeting of the federal cabinet in West Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang Canada's Energy and Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson holds dual Canada-U.S. citizenship and sees 'no reason' to give up his American citizenship 'at this time.' Hodgson confirmed his dual citizenship in an interview on The Vassy Kapelos Show on Tuesday, stating he has 'no confusion about where my loyalties lie.' The rookie minister entered federal politics this year, under Prime Minister Mark Carney's leadership, after an extensive career in the private sector. He said he became a dual citizen 'in the early 1990s' when he was living and working in the U.S., but noted his history serving Canada both prior to, and after, that time. That included the six years he served in the Canadian Armed Forces starting when he was 17, and the time Hodgson worked as a special adviser to Carney as governor of the Bank of Canada in 2010. 'And in March of this year, I was asked again by the new prime minister to give up my private sector life and serve my country again. And that's what I've done. I've done it because I love my country,' Hodgson said. He said he has disclosed his citizenship to both the federal ethics commissioner and the national security establishment, and has renewed his top-secret Canadian security clearance. 'I have no concerns about being a dual citizen. And quite frankly, there's 700,000 Canadians who have dual citizenship and are loyal Canadians,' he said. Hodgson was asked if he'd considered revoking it, given the Canada-U.S. climate right now, the unique cross-border economic tensions, and his role in the government as it relates to building up the domestic economy in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's trade actions. The minister said 'no.' 'I have family in the United States, and crossing the border … freely without obstruction is something that I'm keen to see,' he said. During the 2025 federal election campaign, Carney announced that he was renouncing his British and Irish citizenships, indicating he was focused on giving his all to Canada. At the time, Carney noted that there are a number of Canadian parliamentarians and past party leaders who hold multiple passports. That list includes current Official Opposition Leader in the House of Commons Andrew Scheer. With files from CTV News' Brennan MacDonald
CBC
27 minutes ago
- CBC
HARDY, Cody Johnson to headline P.E.I. country music festival next summer
Social Sharing Country artists HARDY, Tucker Wetmore and Cody Johnson will headline the 2026 edition of the Cavendish Beach Music Festival in central P.E.I.., Whitecap Entertainment announced Tuesday. HARDY, a two-time Country Music Association Award winner, will open the festival on Thursday, July 9. Known for songs such as Truck Bed and Wait in the Truck, he has amassed more than six billion streams across various platforms, organizers said. This will be his first performance on P.E.I. Wetmore, who had a breakout year in 2024 with hits including Wine Into Whisky and Wind Up Missin' You, will take the main stage on Friday, July 10. This will also be his first appearance at the festival. Johnson, a three-time Country Music Association Award winner, will be closing the event on Saturday, July 11. The Texas-born singer is known for chart-topping tracks such as 'Til You Can't and The Painter, and has earned more than seven billion global streams in his career. The performers add to a star-studded list of past CBMF headliners. The festival has in the past hosted Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, Kenny Chesney, Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and most recently, Shania Twain.
