AUSTRALIA – The following is a statement from the Asia Pacific Screen Academy:
“The Asia Pacific Screen Academy stands with the international community in condemning Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Due to the Russian Government’s actions, the Asia Pacific Screen Academy has paused accepting Russian films into competition for the 15th Asia Pacific Screen Awards, and Russian delegations will not be permitted to attend the Awards or 4th Asia Pacific Screen Forum. Russian delegates will not be represented on APSA Juries, Council’s, or Steering Committees.
Russia will not be acknowledged, and there will be no national symbols, colours, flags or anthems from the country in any Academy material.
We recognise the Russian film community and those within our Academy who have used their voices and risked their own safety to criticise this terrible atrocity and acknowledge the unfortunate impact that our position will have on their creative endeavours. We don’t wish to cause you harm, but it is only through every business, government, sport, institution and cultural organisation adding actions that we can build pressure to stop this war.
We encourage our filmmaking community to call this invasion what it is, and demand that the leadership of Russia stop the war on Ukraine.
With limited ability to have an impact on directly helping those in Ukraine, we believe this difficult decision as an Academy is the best option we have to condemn this unnecessary attack.
We express our strongest support for Ukraine’s vibrant screen industry, who, like all people, deserve to live and work peacefully.
We continue to monitor the situation, working closely with our Academy members and partners throughout the global film industry.”