The 2014 breakout hit Pride will finally be released in Russia, despite the country’s stringent anti-gay laws.
A distributor called Arthouse, known for releasing independent and foreign films, has taken on the British comedy, directed by Matthew Warchus, which premiered at last year’s Cannes film festival.
In Russia, laws against homosexuality have increased in recent years, leading to the outlawing, in 2013, of “propaganda” that promotes “non-traditional sexual relations”. Any film that features same-sex content must be given an 18+ certificate.
Arthouse showcased the film’s artwork on Twitter:
Британская комедия «Гордость» о совместной борьбе ЛГБТ и шахтеров в кино с сегодняшнего дня! https://t.co/kRqWfdCMJb pic.twitter.com/SZ4nBcQjFV
— Arthouse.ru (@arthouseru) August 13, 2015
The company was founded in March by Sam Klebanov, following the financial collapse of his previous company, Cinema Without Frontiers, which distributed Blue Is the Warmest Colour.
Pride tells the story of an alliance between an LGBT support group and coalminers during the strike of 1984. It was a critical and commercial hit and picked up a Golden Globe nomination for best picture – musical or comedy. The narrative is bookended by scenes set at London’s annual Pride parade. In Russia, Moscow Pride was banned for 100 years by the city courts in 2012.
LGBT rights continue to be an issue in Russia, with the most recent attempt to curb homosexuality related to a proposed ban on same-sex emojis.
