The Artdocfest/Asia festival was disrupted in Tashkent

The Artdocfest/Asia festival was disrupted in Tashkent. Festival President Vitaly Mansky reportedthat this was done on the instructions of the Ministry of Culture of Uzbekistan.

The police came to the screening of a documentary film about the war in Ukraine “Eastern Front” by Vitaly Mansky and Yevgeny Titarenko. Law enforcement officials stated that they had received a letter from the country’s Ministry of Culture. According to Mansky, all other films on the festival program are prohibited from showing. “Artdocfest/Asia” was supposed to take place from April 2 to April 8.

In a conversation with Meduza, Mansky statedthat the Russian embassy may be behind the cancellation of the festival. He did not specify where he received this information.

• The Artdocfest festival, which since its creation in 2007 has been focused on independent Russian cinema and social criticism of reality, has been since the annexation of Crimea accepted anti-war position. Since 2014, it has been held in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Riga. In recent years, he has been subject to pressure from the authorities. Screenings in cinemas were canceled and disrupted by members of the SERB and NOD movements. After the festival was banned in Moscow on March 2, 2022, the management decided to move to Riga.