Exiled Russian Director Wins Major Cannes Award, Urges Putin to End Ukraine War

Russian director Andrey Zvyagintsev's new film, set against the backdrop of the Ukraine war, won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival today. Following the award, he called on President Vladimir Putin to end the "slaughter" in Ukraine. According to AFP, Zvyagintsev said in his acceptance speech: "The only hope for millions of people on both sides of the front line right now is for this slaughter to finally stop." He added, "And the only person who can stop this meat grinder is you... Stop this slaughter. The whole world is waiting for this day." Zvyagintsev's "Minotaur" (working title) was considered a frontrunner for the Palme d'Or but ultimately received the Jury Prize, the second-highest honor, behind Romanian director Cristian Mungiu's "Fjord." This is the first new film in nine years for the director, known for "Leviathan" and "Loveless," and it is set against the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. The film tells the story of a ruthless businessman who, while facing a marital crisis, must deal with demands from local officials to designate which employees should be drafted into the military. At the press conference after the ceremony, he told the media: "It is incredibly painful for me to acknowledge what Russia is doing in Ukraine. I can honestly tell you that I am ashamed." Currently in exile in France, Zvyagintsev told AFP this week that he does not expect his film to be screened in his homeland, but many Russians will watch it through pirated videos or VPNs.