A group of Belarusian filmmakers, many of whom fled their authoritarian homeland to Ukraine in 2020, have published an open letter condemning the Russian invasion of Ukraine and demanding Russian troops leave the territories of both Ukraine and Belarus.
“We are outraged that the Russian aggressor uses our territory for launching deadly missiles to Ukraine,” the group writes, in English, Belarusian and Russian. Russian troops currently advancing on the Ukraine capital Kyiv launched their attack from Ukraine’s border with Belarus in the north.
Among the around 80 signatories of the letter are Volia Chajkouskaya, founder of the Northern Lights Film Festival, actress Anna Polupanova (Kupala) and director Aliaksei Paluyan, whose award-winning documentary Courage depicted the grassroots uprising against the Belarusian dictatorship in 2020. Ukraine welcomed many Belarusian artists and filmmakers who fled the dictatorship of Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko.
Read the statement below in full.
Dear Ukrainians, Dear international community, dear fellow filmmakers,
We, Belarusian film community, strongly condemn the Russian military aggression against
Ukraine. We are outraged that the Russian aggressor uses our territory for launching deadly
missiles to Ukraine.
Many Belarusian filmmakers were welcomed and supported in Ukraine after the repressions we
suffered in 2020. We express our strong solidarity with the brave Ukrainian nation that fearlessly
fights for the freedom of their country. As art people we clearly see the difference between the
good and the evil. There is no place for evil in real life.
We demand Russian troops to leave the territory of Ukraine and Belarus.
We demand to stop the war immediately.
Slava Ukraini!
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