Filmmaker pulls Ukrainian documentary from Windsor International Film Festival in protest

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The makers of a pro-Ukraine documentary about Russia’s invasion have pulled their work from WIFF to protest the screening of another controversial, higher-profile film examining the same war.  

Intercepted, chronicling the Ukrainian intelligence service’s interception of thousands of phone calls Russian soldiers made to friends and family from the battlefield, was scheduled to screen twice at the Windsor International Film Festival. 

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But it quietly disappeared from the lineup, including an opening night viewing, after the filmmakers withdrew it from the festival. 

“The filmmakers of ‘Intercepted’ shared that their film won’t be available for the festival as we had originally invited,” Erika Sanborn, WIFF’s director of Marketing and Communications, told the Windsor Star in an email. 

Sanborn did not respond to a follow-up email requesting more details about the filmmaker’s reason for pulling Intercepted. Vincent Georgie, WIFF’s executive director and chief programmer, also declined an interview.  

Intercepted filmmakers, including director Oksana Karpovych, could not be reached for comment. 

But the Windsor Star has learned the makers of Intercepted pulled their film because WIFF is also presenting Russians at War, which some Ukrainians and other critics call pro-Russian propaganda. 

That documentary follows a Russian army battalion during a campaign across eastern Ukraine in 2023, capturing soldiers’ first-hand experiences and their disillusionment on the front lines. 

Toronto-based producer Cornelia Principe recently told the Star that Russians at War was meant to be an anti-war film. She said the aim was to humanize Russian soldiers to reach others who felt similar disillusionment. 

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It has proved highly controversial. 

Even Canada’s Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, a Ukrainian Canadian, criticized the use of public funds to create the film, including $340,000 from the Canada Media Fund. 

Russians at War was dropped from festivals in Athens and Zurich this month. The film’s North American debut at the Toronto International Film Festival was almost cancelled in September due to safety threats.

Local Ukrainian-Canadian groups have called on WIFF to cancel its screenings of Russians at War this weekend. 

But WIFF has not removed it from the lineup, prompting the makers of Intercepted to pull their own film.

“That’s a Ukrainian protest, that’s very interesting to hear,” said Carol Guimond, acting president of the Windsor-Essex branch of the Canadian Ukrainian Congress. “I’m very happy about that. I’m glad that the filmmakers took the initiative and did that.” 

According to WIFF’s previous listing for Intercepted, it uses captured phone calls from Russian soldiers to “expose the whole scope of the dehumanizing power of war and imperialist nature of the Russian aggression.” 

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While she applauds the makers of Intercepted for pulling their film, Guimond said it is unfortunate that local audiences won’t have a chance to see that perspective. 

“You’re seeing one side of the story but you’re not seeing the other side,” said Guimond, who has protested WIFF’s presentation of Russians at War. 

“People are only talking about one side of it because of this movie but not the other one. I would hope that at a later date they show Intercepted here in Windsor.” 

WIFF is still screening another pro-Ukraine film called Porcelain War, which follows three Ukrainian artists “amidst the chaos and destruction of the brutal Russian invasion.” 

Porcelain War is scheduled for 11:15 a.m. Sunday at the Armouries, the University of Windsor School of Creative Arts, on University Avenue East near Ouellette Avenue. 

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