The Ukrainian Parliament has approved legislation that bans the distribution and display of television series and films produced by Russian individuals and businesses after January 1, 2014. The law also prohibits showing any TV shows or films that promote the actions of Russia’s law enforcement agencies and armed forces.
259 of the Rada’s 422 deputies voted in favor of the bill, which enters force two months after it’s published officially. Violating the new law carries a fine ranging from 10 to 50 times the minimum wage.
Currently, only the legislation’s second draft, dated February 4, is published on the Rada’s website.
The law states that the distribution and display of films is understood as “any publication of audiovisual works, including feature motion pictures, documentary films, and television series, via the transmission, retransmission, public broadcast, and any other means of airing [...], as well as the display of films in movie theaters and online.”
Ukraine’s State Cinema Committee has repeatedly prohibited the distribution of Russian films and television series. In December 2014, Ukraine banned the distribution of 71 films featuring Russian actor Ivan Okhlobystin, an outspoken opponent of the new government in Kiev. Earlier, Ukraine placed restrictions on the showing of films with Mikhail Porechenkov, the star of many Russian action movies.
Because the law bans all Russian movies made after January 1, 2014, the Oscar-nominated film Leviathan has had to cancel its Ukrainian premiere.