Prominent Ukrainian filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa has criticised the European Commission’s decision to withdraw funding from the Venice Biennale following the inclusion of Russia’s pavilion, describing the move as “a punishment in kindergarten.” The decision came amid controversy over the Venice Biennale allowing Russia to exhibit its pavilion for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a move that sparked widespread criticism this spring.

Loznitsa, known for his 2014 documentary *Maidan* and last year’s *Two Prosecutors*, addressed the issue ahead of the Venice Film Festival, which runs concurrently with the Biennale. While he stated he would “never ever” personally visit the Russian pavilion, Loznitsa argued that the focus on the pavilion was overshadowing broader issues, particularly the continued economic ties between Europe and Russia. He pointed to a surge in European imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the second quarter of 2026, which increased by 17% compared to the same period the previous year, according to the EU’s Agency for the Cooperation of Energy Regulators. Loznitsa emphasized that such imports finance Moscow’s military actions, questioning whether shutting down the pavilion would influence the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

The European Commission confirmed last month it was terminating a €2 million multiyear grant to the Biennale Foundation as a direct response to the Russian pavilion’s presence. The grant had been allocated to co-finance the cinema department’s activities, including the Biennale College and the Venice Production Bridge. Biennale management asserted that the affected activities “have nothing to do with Russia’s participation in the Biennale Arte.” Meanwhile, the Biennale’s president, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, accused the Commission of “abandoning our journey,” underscoring that the Biennale engages in art rather than political conflicts.

The controversy surrounding the Biennale is also impacting the Venice Film Festival, which operates with some independence but is affected by the funding cut. This year’s festival lineup features films with significant political themes related to Russia and its sphere of influence. Among them is Loznitsa’s *Imperium*, presented out of competition, and French director Alexandre Smia’s *Jupiter*, a geopolitical thriller involving an assassination attempt on the Russian president. Other noteworthy screenings include Andrei Kutsila’s animated documentary *Letters from the Silenced Country*, focusing on Belarusian political repression, and Julia Loktev’s *My Undesirable Friends: Part II - Exile*, a five-hour documentary following Russian dissident journalists who fled the country after the invasion.

Loktev’s work explores the complex boundary between art, journalism, and propaganda, illustrating the dilemmas faced by Russian exiles opposing their government. She described the film as addressing “how to take accountability” for one’s country’s actions, highlighting the ethical challenges faced by dissidents.

The inclusion of a Russian-themed project, *Dau*, directed by Ilya Khrzhanovsky, prompted objections from the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry condemned the project, which depicts Soviet physicist Lev Landau’s role in the development of the atomic bomb, for allegedly serving Kremlin propaganda purposes and being financially supported by sanctioned Russian businessman Sergey Adonyev. The ministry expressed concern that Russia uses culture as a tool of state policy to legitimize its political agendas.

However, Venice Film Festival artistic director Alberto Barbera refuted the claims that *Dau* represents Kremlin influence, describing it instead as a denunciation of totalitarian regimes rather than pro-Putin propaganda. Notably, *Dau* was primarily filmed between 2008 and 2011 and received funding from Germany, France, and Sweden, underscoring the international nature of its production.

Unlike the art biennial, the festival does not assign films to countries of origin based on directors’ nationalities. Films such as *My Undesirable Friends* and *Imperium* have been produced outside Russia, illustrating the broader international context in which these politically charged works are presented.