Ukrainian cinema union calls out several studios for releasing films in Russia

Kyiv [Ukraine], May 18 Ukraine's cinema union, on Thursday, issued an open letter calling on participants of the Cannes Film Market to halt all business with Russia.

The statement asserted that releasing films in Putin's pariah state is akin to "support for terrorism" amid its ongoing war of aggression in the Eastern European nation, Variety reported.

The letter, which was written by the Ukrainian League of Cinemas, called out studios like A24 and Lionsgate for releasing films in Russia.

The letter singled out a number of leading international indie distributors and sales agents including Lionsgate, STXInternational, FilmNation, A24 and Pathe whose films have been released in Russia since the start of the war.

"Continuing to do business in Russia means supporting the Russian terrorist state with taxes," the statement read. "These taxes are then turned into weapons with which peaceful Ukrainian cities are destroyed, and our friends and colleagues are killed and maimed."

Though Hollywood studios closed ranks in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion, pulling tentpole releases including Warner Bros.' "The Batman" and Sony's "Morbius" from Russian theaters, more than 140 U.S. films were nevertheless released in the country last year after fighting commenced, according to data from Russia's Cinema Fund, which tracks ticket sales at the country's exhibitors.

According to Variety, several international releases continue to do brisk business in Russia, including Lionsgate's "John Wick: Chapter 4," which has grossed nearly USD 14 million to date in the country and the former-Soviet territories, known as the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and A24's best picture Oscar winner "Everything Everywhere All at Once," which has grossed more than USD 2.3 million, according to Box Office Mojo. Guy Ritchie's spy action comedy "Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre," meanwhile, released globally by STXinternational, has earned more than USD 9 million in Russia/CIS, and Pathe's "The Three Musketeers" close to USD 8 million.