Russian Gay Propaganda Law Begins To Bite On LGBT-Themed Films

Vladmir Putin may keep saying the Russia’s law banning the ‘promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships’ to people under 18 isn’t prejudiced against gay people, but on the ground it’s a very different story, not least leading to an increase in attacks on LGBT people.

Now it’s starting to directly affect what films can be shown, with some quarters relishing trying to ban gay films, even if they are adult productions not designed to be shown to children (and therefore shouldn’t be affected by the ban anyway). Two stories surrounding thos have come to light in the past couples of day.

The first concerns the gay-themed 2007 French musical, Les Chansons d’Amour, which aired on the popular EvroKino Russian television channel. This led Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology, and Mass Media to formally warn the station about it, saying the movie contains “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations.”

The film follows the complicated relationship between two women and a man, who get involved in a consensual polyamourous relationship. It’s an adult film, which gained a 15 rating in the UK and was shown at night, when children would not be expected to be watching. However the ministry still issued the warning, seemingly hoping to gay all gay themes off the air.

The second case is about a Russian  movie, A Winter Journey, which was rejected by Kinotavr, one of Russia’s main film festivals, seemingly because of its same-sex themes. The movie is about a gay musician who falls in love with a street criminal.

Director Sergei Taramayev told AFP, ‘For the organizers of the festival it was uncomfortable, because there is such a law, so they thought it was better not to get involved… At least people who were in the jury told us that this was the reason why we were not accepted for Kinotavr.’

The makers didn’t even submit it to the country’s main festival, Moscow International Film Festival, as they believe the organizer, Oscar-winning director Nikita Mikhalkov, is in favour of the government’s anti-gay laws. ‘He supports the government’s line and is a very political director and we realized that they would not take us.’

There has been some good news for the filmmakers though, as A Winter Journe won prizes at the Window into Europe festival in Vyborg in northwestern Russia in August and at Moscow Premiere in September. They are also surprised the country’s culture ministry allowed it to be released in the first place. Co-screenwriter Lidya Lvova says, “We still can’t quite believe in this miracle.”