Theodore Ushev turns down award from the Moscow Film Festival

published on 4/28/23 10:24 AM

Theodore Ushev refused to accept the special "Silver Saint George" award which was bestowed to him for his feature film "Phi1.618" at the Moscow International Film Festival.

In a video address posted on Facebook, he addressed the jury in Russian, English and Bulgarian: "Under any other circumstances, I would be happy to accept this statuette - it symbolizes the victory of good over evil... But today here, in this country, in beautiful Moscow, the places of good and evil are reversed... I can't accept this award in a city where orders are issued for the murder of children, women and old people to your brothers - to my brothers.”

Theodore Ushev also says that in his little film, a small, insignificant person blows up the mighty spinning top of totalitarian titans, as in his favourite fairy tale, where Ivanushka the Fool outsmarts Koschei the Immortal (because tyrants are always considered immortal). The director expresses his belief that good will defeat evil in war. "Everyone must choose which side they are on - good or evil, on the side of Koschei The Immortal or Ivanushka," he declared.

Theodore Ushev ends his video address with the words spoken in Bulgarian: "Make movies, not war!"

The Montreal-based Theodore Ushev is best known as an animation artist. He was nominated for an Oscar award for his animated short film Blind Vaysha (2016). The film Phi1.618 is his debut feature film.

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