"The State Agency of Ukraine for Cinema expresses concern regarding the planned screenings of the propaganda films produced in Russia, "Maidan, the Road to War" (Maidan, la strada verso la guerra) and "Children of Donbass" (I bambini del Donbass) in various cities across Italy during January – February 2025. [...] These films may contain distorted information about the events of the Revolution of Dignity and the Russian-Ukrainian war," the statement reads.
The State Cinema Agency emphasized that the showing of these films in cultural venues in Italy during the ongoing full-scale war of the Russian Federation against Ukraine could contribute to disinformation and manipulation of public opinion.
The Ukrainian agency listed several pieces of evidence that the films are indeed propaganda.
"The film "Maidan, the Road to War" is produced by the Russian state propaganda channel Russia Today, which raises doubts about the objectivity of the events presented. "Children of Donbass" employs emotional influence through sensitive topics, manipulating the reality of the situation. The distribution is handled by the organization Donbass Italia, known for spreading other propaganda materials," explained the State Cinema Agency.
The agency reported that it has reached out to the Ukrainian embassy in Italy with a request to "take measures to prevent the screening of these films."