Ukraine appeals to Tallinn Film Festival over Russian film Deaf Lovers about Ukrainian-Russian love story

This was announced on the State Film Agency's Facebook page.

From November 8 to 24, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) will take place in Estonia. One of its programs, Standing with Ukraine, is dedicated to Ukraine and aims to support the country.

"Dedicated to the Ukrainians who are determined to defend their right to decide their own future," states the PÖFF website.

In addition to the Ukrainian films such as A Sentimental Journey to the Parajanov Planet, Intercepted, Porcelain War, The Editorial Office, etc., the organizers included Deaf Lovers by Russian director Boris Guts in the program about Ukraine. The film tells the story of a romantic relationship between a Ukrainian refugee and a Russian man who met in Istanbul amid the war in Ukraine. Both are hearing impaired and "searching for intimacy."

The Ukrainian State Film Agency addressed the PÖFF management, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to present Ukrainian films at the festival, but shared their concern about the inclusion of a film about the love of a Russian man and a Ukrainian woman in the program. The State Film Agency asked to reconsider the decision to include a Russian film in Standing with Ukraine.

"Given the aggression of Russia against Ukraine and the sufferings of the large number of Ukrainian people, it is of paramount importance to ensure that cultural platforms do not become tools for films blurring the boundaries of understanding the reality of Ukrainians. We are deeply convinced that providing the opportunity to show Russian films in the modern context carries the risk of propaganda justifying the aggression, which can be part of the aggressor’s information strategy," the State Film Agency stated.

The author of the Black Nights festival program, Mihkel Möölman, called Deaf Lovers "the best film about war and love in recent years."

“A young woman and a young man meet in Istanbul. They both lack the money to live in the foreign city and they are both deaf. They connect, spend time together and do what young people always do – party carelessly and seek intimacy. They feel they are in love. But all is not quite as it seems. She’s from Ukraine, he’s from Russia, and there’s a war going on somewhere back home. The very idea of the screenplay as a starting point for the film’s message is excellent, challenging the cliché seen in many films that love conquers all. But maybe it does if you can’t hear or talk about war? The author goes even further and comes to the big generalization through the main characters that you can’t be silent about war. It will take generations of humanity before societal memory fades and no longer interferes with love. Besides the other values of this film, the soundtrack should be separately highlighted. Thoughtful in detail and actively supporting the plot,” wrote Möölman.