Russia refuses to send movie for upcoming Oscars

No Russian film will be nominated for the Oscars this year, the Russian Film Academy announced this week, amid historic tensions between the United States and Russia over Moscow's war on Ukraine.

In a statement, the Academy said it would not send any Russian films to enter the contest for Best International Film at the 2023 Oscars, held in the US, Euronews reports.

This follows decisions by several other international festivals, such as the Cannes Film Festival, to bar Russian delegations or anyone connected with the Russian government - although independent Russian filmmakers have been allowed to compete.

Pavel Tchoukhraï, head of the committee responsible for sending Russian films to the US competition, denounced what he called a decision taken "behind his back" and announced his resignation in response.

Proposing to create a "Eurasian" alternative, director Nikita Mikhalkov, a giant of Russian cinema and Putin supporter, said it was unnecessary for Russia to participate in the Oscars.

"It seems to me that choosing a film that will represent Russia in a country, which in reality currently denies the existence of Russia, simply does not make sense," he told Russian state news agency TASS.