MOSCOW, November 29. The Russian Ministry of Culture has revoked the distribution certificate for the film “Aita” directed by Stepan Burnashev due to the negative reaction of viewers on social networks after the release of the film on the Internet, the Russian Minister of Culture said Olga Lyubimova.
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"About the film "Aita" there were a lot of requests from citizens. The film received a very mixed reaction. We know how sensitive they are to any mention of the very topic of ethnic hatred in our society, how constantly controversial this topic is. <…> When the film appeared on the online platform, it received a sharply negative reaction on social media as well. <…> Our colleagues from Roskomnadzor have suspended the online rental of this film. “We have revoked the rental certificate,” Lyubimova said during the government hour in the State Duma.
According to her, The Russian Ministry of Culture met with the director of the film, Burnashev. “We will continue to work together and try to make such topics more tactful,” concluded the head of the department.
In the story, residents of a Yakut village suspect a Russian police officer of molesting and driving to suicide the girl Aita, who left a suicide note with his name. An armed crowd demands reprisals, but the suspect's colleague intends to get to the bottom of the truth faster than harsh lynching takes place.
«Aita» is the 13th work of Stepan Burnashev and the first in the detective genre. The premiere took place at the First Russian Auteur Film Festival «Winter». The film received two prizes at once: for best director and best actor.