Czech Festival to Strip Kusturica of Award for Cooperating With Russia

The Prague International Film Festival Febiofest has decided to strip renowned Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica of an award for “cooperatng with Russia,” the Serbian agency Tanjug reported on Tuesday.

The decision to strip the Serbian director of the prize was made over the fact that on February 21, Kusturica agreed to occupy the post of chief director of the Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army.

Febiofest Director Kamil Spachil said that the move to yank the award from Kusturica was proposed by the founder and honorary chairman of the festival Ferro Fenich. In turn, the representatives of the festival “welcomed this initiative.”

Kusturica received the Christian Award in 2017 for his contribution to world cinema. However, Fenich opposed this award even back then. Today, he urged his colleagues to follow his example and deprive Kusturica of the award.

Emir Kusturica is a well-known Yugoslav and Serbian film director and actor, having been awarded by the major film festivals across Europe, including two Golden Palm awards from the Cannes Film Festival.

He was also made chevalier of the Legion of Honour, and is a foreign member of the Academy of Sciences and Arts of the Republika Srpska.

On February 21, Kusturica accepted Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu’s offer to take the post of chief director of the Central Academic Theater of the Russian Army.