Russia

DNIPRO, Ukraine — Before the war, Rabbi Meyr Stambler never broke Shabbat and never lied to his wife, with whom he had lived for 28 years. Now he has done both. If there is an emergency, like evacuations, he will answer his phone on Saturdays. In the early days of the Russian invasion, he sent his wife Sarah, his ten children, and his three grandkids to Israel, promising he would join them in a few days. But he lied. He never meant to leave Ukraine. Rabbi Stambler, the Chairman of the Chabad-affiliated Council of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Ukraine, came to Dnipro from New York in 1991. He was nineteen years old. He has lived here ever since. He considers himself Ukrainian. “On average I sleep three hours per day,” he says. “Now I can devote all my time to helping my community without being worried for my family. I decided it was time for them to flee after the nuclear power plant in Zaporizzhya region — 130 miles away —  was overtaken by Russians troops in the early … [Read more...] about Ukraine’s Jewish Community Fights Back Against Russia’s Invasion — and Against Putin’s Lies

Ukrainian filmmaker Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi wrote and will direct the feature adaptation of John Valliant’s book The Tiger , in which Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award-winner Alexander Skarsgard will star alongside Oppenheimer actor Dane DeHaan . Set in snowy far east Russia in the late 90s, the feature follows a group of men — referred to as the Tiger Team — who work to protect endangered tigers from poachers and logging operations. The story follows Vanzin (Skarsgard), the Team’s leader whose sense of duty is tested when he’s charged with hunting down and exterminating a tiger that killed a poacher in self-defense. DeHaan would portray Kanchuga, a young environmental scientist and newest member of the Team. Darren Aronofsky and Protozoa are producing, along with Plan B and Wild Bunch International. The Veterans will launch sales on the project at the Cannes Film Festival . CAA Media Finance is co-representing domestic rights. Slaboshpytskyi previously … [Read more...] about ‘The Tiger’: Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi To Direct Alexander Skarsgard & Dane DeHaan In Feature Take Of John Vaillant Book – Cannes

British bookies are currently offering odds of 7/18 for Ukraine to triumph at this evening’s Eurovision Song Contest in Turin, Italy, with their entry Kalush Orchestra ’s distinctive blend of rap and folk music, combined with the country’s current courage in the face of Russian invasion, expected to unite voters across Europe in support. The frontman and writer Oleh Psiuk – distinctive throughout this week in Turin with his pink hat – told the BBC before the band came through their semi-final: “For our country it is so important to have victories in all ways. So if we win, it will be another opportunity to show Ukraine to the world, to remind people about Ukraine, and to increase morale in the whole country.” The band’s song Stefania was originally inspired by Psiuk’s mother, but lines such as “I will always walk to you by broken roads” have become interpreted in context of the country’s current plight. Psiuk told the BBC separately this week: “The song was … [Read more...] about Eurovision Hopes: Ukraine’s Kalush Orchestra And UK’s Sam Ryder Favourites For Tonight’s Song Contest

Ukraine ’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has greeted his country’s victory at the Eurovision Song Contest with delight. The highly-favoured Kalush Orchestra won the competition on Saturday, with a record number of 439 people’s votes from across Europe clinching their success on an emotional evening in Turin, Italy. Zelensky said afterwards: “Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe!” The winner of each year’s Contest traditionally becomes the event host the following year, and Zelensky promised that Ukraine would be no exception, despite its current plight following invasion by Russia. “We will do our best to one day host the participants and guests of Eurovision in Ukrainian Mariupol. Free, peaceful, rebuilt! I am sure our victorious chord in the battle with the enemy is not far off.” In a turn up for the books after more than a decade of disaster at the competition, the UK also did very well, with Sam Ryder coming second. The UK … [Read more...] about “Next Year, Mariupol!”: Ukraine President Delights In Eurovision Victory, Pledges To Host 2023 Contest

The Recording Academy is partnering with Global Citizen and the global “Stand Up For Ukraine ” campaign on a special segment at Sunday’s Grammy Awards , intended to raise awareness of the situation in the country, following Russia’s invasion. The news follows Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s appeal to the international community on behalf of his citizens, who have been displaced and injured by the war, to take part in an online social media rally on April 9, which will provide support to those who have been forced to flee the country. “I’m inviting everybody: musicians, actors, athletes, businessmen, politicians, everybody,” Zelenskyy said. “Everyone who wants to join this movement and ‘Stand Up for Ukraine.'” Recording Academy partner Global Citizen has played a leading role, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in organizing the April 9 “Stand Up For Ukraine” pledging summit to help … [Read more...] about 64th Grammys To Spotlight Situation In Ukraine Via Special Segment

EXCLUSIVE : Vision Films ’ CEO and Managing Director Lise Romanoff has closed a deal with Andrei Bocharnikov of Ukraine ’s Festivals Cinema to theatrically release six films in the region—the goal being to provide a little respite, distraction and hope for all those in the country who are struggling, amid Russia’s invasion. Festivals Cinema, based in Kharkiv, will first exhibit Paul Schneider’s inspirational family drama Just Another Dream , starring Kristy Swanson and Dean Cain, and produced by Charles Franz. It will then release the sci-fi pic Alpha Code , starring Denise Richards, which Keoni Waxman directed with Milan Friedrich producing. Thrillers 7th Secret and Seal of Desire will follow, along with the documentaries Queen Elizabeth II: Her Glorious Reign and Prince Philip: The Man Behind the Throne . Festivals Cinema will also expand its theatrical release of Tango Shalom to Poland, with full support of the filmmakers. The film, which has … [Read more...] about Vision Films Closes Deal For Theatrical Distribution Of Six Titles In Ukraine

TMZ Composite Sean McVay 's fiancée has taken her disdain for Vladimir Putin to her bathroom ... revealing she just recently added some Putin toilet paper to her house. Veronika Khomyn , who's been dating McVay -- the L.A. Rams head coach -- for years, showed off the new bath tissue on her social media page on Sunday evening. The T.P. in her crib now has Putin's face all over it ... and Veronika insinuated there might be more than just one roll -- captioning the photo, "Home accents," with a poop emoji. Of course, Veronika is from Ukraine and has been one of Putin's biggest detractors since Russia invaded the country in February. Khomyn initially called the first hours of the conflict "the hardest day I've ever experienced." She and McVay later took the stage at the Critics' Choice Awards in March to pan Putin for starting the war, and praise Ukrainians for their resiliency. Getty "I proudly stand with my … [Read more...] about Sean McVay’s Fiancée Adds Vladimir Putin Toilet Paper To House ‘Accents’

EXCLUSIVE: Hulu’s WeWork director Jed Rothstein is forging landmark Sky documentary Once Upon a Time in Londongrad, exploring 14 mysterious deaths in the UK with alleged connections to Russia over two decades. Scroll down for the trailer. Oscar-winning production outfit Rise Films is behind the show in association with Universal International Studios, a division of Universal Studio Group, BuzzFeed Studios and Concordia Studio. Helmed by investigative reporter Heidi Blake, the doc series is incredibly timely and will examine how Vladimir Putin’s two decades in power have made the UK reliant on Russian money and thereby led to missed opportunities to contain the Kremlin. The deaths, which include high-profiles such as Alexander Litvinenko, will be explored in connection with the hidden underworld of Russian exiles in London, coming as high-profile Russians living in the UK such as former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich face sanctions. The issue has been a hot … [Read more...] about ‘Once Upon A Time In Londongrad’: Sky Greenlights Landmark Doc Series From Hulu’s ‘WeWork’ Director Jed Rothstein

Cannes Film Festival chief Thierry Frémaux took part in a ‘meet the press’ session with journalists in Cannes yesterday afternoon. The long-time chief was asked multiple questions about the festival’s stance towards Russia and about Deadline’s censorship story from yesterday . Given that the festival has a ban on Russian journalists from pro-Putin publications and on state-sponsored Russian delegations, he was asked the extent to which Cannes was concerned about the sanctioned Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich being a financier of Competition film Tchaikovsky’s Wife (whose director Kirill Serebrennikov is a Russian dissident). Frémaux, who noted that he received five emails a day with questions on this subject, explained that the festival decided to accept the film because it was shot before the war against Ukraine, when receiving Russian money wasn’t problematic. “The film had already been shot, so that is the rule we decided to follow,” the festival head told … [Read more...] about Cannes Chief Thierry Frémaux Responds To Russian Oligarch Question & Deadline’s Censorship Story

The 75th edition of the Cannes Film Festival officially kicked off this evening with an emotional opening ceremony that reached a pinnacle as Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky appeared via video to address the Palais audience live from Kyiv. During his speech, Zelensky referred to Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator and the role that film had in denouncing Hitler during World War II; the 1940 picture “didn’t destroy the real dictator, but thanks to this film, cinema was not silent,” he said. The Ukraine president continued, “On February 24, Russia began a war of huge proportion against Ukraine with the intention of going further into Europe… Hundreds of people die every day. They are not going to get up after the end clap… Will cinema stay silent, or will it talk about it? If there is a dictator, if there is a war for freedom, again, it all depends on our unity. Can cinema stay out of this unity?… We need a new Chaplin who will prove that, in our time, cinema is not … [Read more...] about Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky Addresses Cannes Opening Ceremony: “Cinema Must Not Be Silent”