Serbian Award Winner CLIP Banned In Russia

Things are changing in Russia, where the Russian Orthodox Church is wielding an increasing influence over cultural affairs. The Orthodox influence has been reported as a major factor in the recent jailing of punk act Pussy Riot - their protest was staged on church property which led to charges of 'hooliganism motivated by religious hatred - and is now again being cited in the unprecedented move of Russian Deputy Culture Minister Ivan Demidov signing an outright ban on Rotterdam winning Serbian film Clip.

"Clip was banned over indecent language and scenes of drug and alcohol abuse, as well as 'pornographic' depictions of sex between minors,'  Sam Klebanov of the distribution company Maywin Media AB, tells Cineuropa. "This is the first case of such censoring, and an attempt to introduce moral censorship in the country. Explicit arthouse fare never had any screening problems in Russia."

Here's how our own Ard Vijn described the film when it screened in Rotterdam:

Jasna is a young teenager living in a hellish-looking concrete city-block. Her father has a terminal disease and needs constant care, provided by her mother and younger sister. Jasna however refuses to help, or in anyway grow towards a future of drudgery which is the only thing held in front of her. Under the guise of "studying with friends" she always escapes to a seemingly endless string of parties.

When she becomes attached to a local drug-dealing bully and "successfully" becomes his girlfriend, she starts recording all sorts of clips on her mobile phone. Meant as fun moments to share with friends, what's recorded does not paint a pretty picture at all...

Given that the Culture Ministry has declared the Russian Orthodox Church their "closest ally" this could very well mark the beginning of a new, more conservative Russia.