Ukrainians in Australia launch letter writing campaign asking fellow citizens to plug on ‘Russians at War’ film

The Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organizations (AFUO) is urging Ukrainians to grab their pens and write letters by Feb. 10 to halt the screening of the “Russians at War” propaganda film documentary film at the Antenna Documentary Film Festival in Sydney.  

“The Ukrainian community has come together with strength and focus to stop this russian propaganda being screened in Australia,” AFUO said.  

The organization has actively engaged with festival organizers, reached out to Australia’s Minister for the Arts Tony Burke and key government sponsors, secured media coverage, and launched the campaign that collected nearly 1,000 participants in the first 48 hours.  

“But there is more to do! If you object to the screening of pro-russia propaganda in Australia, send a letter urging organisers, sponsors and partners, to pull the plug on ‘Russians at War,’ AFUO called on the public.  

A letter template is available via the provided link, and appeals must be submitted by Feb. 10.  

“Let’s stand against misinformation, in solidarity with Ukrainians, and in line with Australia’s interests and values!” the organization said.  

The “Russians at War” film tells the stories of Russian occupiers, interspersed with only brief snippets of real combat footage. 

Trofimova insists that she made an “anti-war” film and wanted to showcase “ordinary people.” The film was intended to challenge the notion that all Russian soldiers are criminals, she claims.

Earlier, the Zurich Film Festival canceled public screenings of the film. The Ukrainian Canadian Congress led a campaign against the film’s screening, which resulted in the suspension of screenings in Canada. However, on Sept. 17, the Toronto International Film Festival ignored these calls.

Screenings of the film were successfully canceled in Greece thanks to the efforts of the Ukrainian community in October.