Kremlin designates director Andrey Zvyagintsev a ‘foreign agent’ after anti-war film

Russia’s Justice Ministry added renowned director Andrey Zvyagintsev to its list of “foreign agents” on September 18, claiming he had “spread inaccurate information about decisions made by Russian public authorities.”

Zvyagintsev is one of Russia’s most famous contemporary directors. He has lived in exile in France since 2022. He has not publicly commented on the news so far.

His latest film, “Minotaur,” has been praised by critics as an anti-war film. It won the Grand Prix at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival — the festival’s prestigious second-place prize — and was also selected as France’s submission for the 2027 Oscars in the “Best International Film” category.

During his acceptance speech at Cannes 2026, Zvyagintsev made a direct appeal to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war against Ukraine, saying that “millions of people on both sides of the front have only one dream — that the countless killings finally come to an end.” Many Ukrainians expressed anger and disappointment with him online after the speech, because he did not acknowledge the disproportionate suffering of Ukrainians compared to Russians.

Being labeled a “foreign agent” by the Kremlin brings severe social stigma, legal and financial restrictions, and a ban on holding public office in Russia. Zvyagintsev’s films usually explore the dark side of Russian society — his 2014 film “Leviathan” follows a man’s struggle in a remote Russian coastal town against corrupt local authorities.

Burimi: The Kyiv Independent