Russia Boycotts Oscars: A Look Back At Previous Wins, Incuding One For An Anti-War Film

The 2023 Academy Awards is six months away, and Russia is already boycotting the show by refusing to submit a film to the International Feature category.

The decision comes about seven months after Russian President Vladimir Putin initiated attacks on Ukraine. Since then, the U.S. has continued to provide support and military aid to Ukraine.

What Happened: Russia announced it is boycotting the 2023 Oscars, set to be held on March 12, 2023, and air on ABC, a unit of The Walt Disney Company DIS.

At the most recent Oscars ceremony, attendees observed “a moment of silence" to show support for the people of Ukraine.

Pavel Tchoukhrai, head of Russia’s Oscar committee, announced his resignation after the boycott was announced saying the move was a surprise and done “behind his back.”

Russia has seen its country blocked from providing movies at several top film festivals as a result of the invasion of Ukraine.

Filmmaker Nikita Mikhalkov said “it didn’t make sense” to send a Russian movie to the Academy Awards for consideration as the U.S. “currently denies its existence,” according to a report from Variety. Mikhalkov is a supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Mikhalkov resigned from Russia’s Oscar committee last month and said he would like to help create an equivalent version of the Oscars for Europe and Asia.

Russian filmmaker Karen Shakhnazarov also supported the boycott announcement.

“Sending a film to the U.S. would be like sending a film to Germany during the Second World War to get the prize of the Third Reich,” Shakhnazarov said.

The Venice Film Festival launched Ukrainian Day as part of its festival as a way to honor films made in Ukraine and from Ukraine filmmakers.

Related Link: 'Share The Victory With Us' - Ukraine President Zelensky Welcomes Investments To Rebuild Country's Economy 

Russia’s Oscar History: Russia has been among the most nominated and awarded country in the Best International Film category from the Academy Awards. Since 1968, Russia has been nominated for the award 16 times and awarded the Oscar four times:

• “War and Peace" (1968)
• "Dersu Uzala" (1975)
• "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears" (1980)
• “Burnt by the Sun" (1994)

Russia was last nominated in the category in 2017 for the film “Loveless,” a movie that won several honors at the Cannes Film Festival.

Along with wins in the Best International Film category, Russia-born directors, actors and others have been nominated and taken home awards:

• Yul Brynner won Best Actor in 1956 for his work on “The King and I.”
• Lila Kedrova won Best Supporting Actress in 1964 for “Zorba the Greek.”
• Director Lewis Milestone became the first Russian to win an Academy Award and the first director to ever win the award twice: in 1929 for “Two Arabian Nights" and in 1930 for “All Quiet on the Western Front,” an adaptation of the anti-war novel.

Several Russia-born film associates have also been nominated in other acting categories and won awards for screenplay and cinematography.

Image: Yul Brynner handprints outside Grauman's Chinese Theater (Shutterstock)