Russian director Zvyagintsev urges Putin to end war at Cannes — Kremlin fires back

Acclaimed Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev made a public plea at the Cannes Film Festival for Vladimir Putin to end the war in Ukraine. The Kremlin swiftly dismissed his call, claiming Zvyagintsev has 'no right to speak' on the matter.

Russian film director [Andrey Zvyagintsev](/politicians/andrey-zvyagintsev), known internationally for acclaimed works such as *Leviathan* and *Loveless*, used the stage of the Cannes Film Festival to publicly appeal to Russian President [Vladimir Putin](/politicians/vladimir-putin) to «put an end to this carnage» — referring to Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine.

The appeal drew immediate condemnation from the Kremlin, which stated that Zvyagintsev has «no right to speak» on behalf of Russia or to make such demands of its leadership. The sharp rebuke underscored the increasingly hostile stance Moscow takes toward Russian cultural figures who speak out against the war.

Zvyagintsev is one of Russia's most internationally recognized filmmakers. His 2014 film *Leviathan* won the Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated for an Academy Award. He has lived abroad since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022 and has previously expressed opposition to the war.

His statement at Cannes adds to a growing chorus of Russian artists and intellectuals in exile who have publicly condemned the conflict. The Kremlin's response reflects its consistent position that diaspora figures critical of the war lack the legitimacy to represent or address Russia.