The film Russians At War by Anastasia Trofimova, which received $340,000 from the Canada Media Fund—monies directly taken out of Canadian taxpayers’ pockets—will be featured as part of the official program of the Toronto International Film Festival.
Cinema is an aid for the soul and a tool to amplify the truth and unite people for what is right. In 2023, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation established an Aid for Artists Fund to provide an outlet to support the arts and artists of Ukraine who are forward-facing, courageous, and united. As part of this program, CUF has supported countless projects which celebrate Ukrainian culture and address lies spread by the Russian propaganda machine. Unfortunately, the Canada Media Fund decided to fuel that propaganda machine, and the Toronto International Film Festival provided a platform to promote it.
In the spring of 2024, the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, through the Aid for Artists Fund, supported the creation of two films highlighting the devastation of Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine and its impact on the lives of civilians. Doors of War by Gambade Films and Ride the Line by Igor Volochiy are a testament to the resilience of Ukrainians facing the Russian war. The funding of these films, done through contributions from you, Canadians, demonstrates the unity of our society in support of Ukraine. We genuinely hope that TIFF will consider including these films in its future programming and that the Canada Media Fund will support films that are in line with the moral values of Canadians.
Please consider donating to CUF Aid for Artists Fund to support Ukrainian cinema and art projects.
To learn more about the current issue, please see the Ukrainian Canadian Congress statement.
Background
Canada-Ukraine Foundation (CUF) – founded in 1995, CUF has a strong track record of providing humanitarian assistance to Ukraine in the areas of healthcare, education and civil society. CUF collaborates with aid providers in Ukraine, Canada, and beyond to maximize impact and cost-effectiveness of your support.