Paris Festival Seeks Unity, Sparked by Ukrainian Filmmaker's Protest

A Paris film festival founded by exiled Russian opponents of President Vladimir Putin opens on Thursday. The event, called "Le Doc en Scène," aims to present a united cultural front against the war in Ukraine. However, the festival has already faced controversy. Prominent Ukrainian filmmaker Oleg Sentsov has withdrawn his documentary from the program. Sentsov publicly refused to allow his work to appear alongside films by Russian artists. His protest highlights the deep divisions the festival sought to overcome. The event will now proceed without his participation.