‘Russians at War’ producers threaten TVO with legal action for pulling film

Lawyers representing the producers of “Russians at War” say they may pursue legal action against Ontario’s public broadcaster for pulling support for the controversial documentary amid outcry from the Ukrainian community and some Canadian politicians.

A letter addressed to TVO’s board and management demands that the network immediately reinstate its commitment to air “Russians at War,” or allow the filmmakers to license the film to another broadcaster or streaming platform.

The letter says that if the matter can’t be resolved in the next 10 business days, the film’s producers will be left with “no choice but to pursue all legal remedies,” including claims for breach of contract, defamation, and damages associated with any loss of funding for the project.

The film by Russian-Canadian director Anastasia Trofimova — which captures the experiences of Russian soldiers on the front lines of the war in Ukraine — has sparked considerable backlash from Ukrainian officials and the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, who called it “Russian propaganda.”

Those concerns have also been echoed by some Canadian politicians, including Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who has Ukrainian heritage.

The documentary was produced in partnership with TVO and financed in part by the broadcaster’s allocation of Canada Media Fund resources, but TVO’s board of directors cancelled plans to air it on the network, citing feedback it had received.

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The Documentary Organization of Canada said last week it was “profoundly alarmed” by TVO’s decision to pull its support and that it “raises serious concerns about political interference.”

TVO board chair Chris Day says the broadcaster won’t publicly comment on legal matters.

In the letter to TVO sent Thursday, lawyer Danny Webber of Hall Webber LP called the decision to pull the plug on the film “a clear violation of the filmmakers’ rights” that caused “reputational and financial harm” to the team behind the documentary.

“Russians at War” was set to have its North American premiere during the Toronto International Film Festival, but screenings had to be postponed to Tuesday due to threats of violence against TIFF staff and operations, organizers said.

Protesters rallied outside Tuesday’s screening, with activists calling for governments to withdraw funding from the festival.

—With additional files from Global News