Venice 2026: Russian film in competition despite ongoing war

Russian director Ilya Khrzhanovsky's film "DAU" — a new instalment of his experimental series — will compete for the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Artistic director Alberto Barbera defended the decision on social media, rejecting accusations based on what he called false premises. The invitation has sparked controversy given Russia's ongoing full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its fifth year.

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