Ingushetia Bans Screening of Film About Stalin's Deportation
The film "The Letter," about the deportation of the Ingush people, has been banned in Ingushetia. The republic's Ministry of Culture has refused to hold the premiere of Amur Amerkhanov's film, despite it having received a federal grant and having been shown in other regions.
As Fortanga notes, even during the filming stage, some Telegram channels affiliated with the security forces and the government attempted to discredit the film for its criticism of the Soviet authorities' role in the 1944 deportation. Pressure is also being exerted on Russian film festivals, which are wary of including "The Letter" in their programs.
The Ingush Ministry of Culture cited the lack of a distribution certificate as the formal reason for the denial, although this is not mandatory for premiere screenings. Despite the obstacles in Russia, "The Letter" will be screened at international film festivals in Jordan and Bangladesh.
