Russia's state film foundation has denied claims that it rejected cult film director Peter Greenaway's screenplay about Sergei Eisenstein over mentions of the Russian legend's sexual orientation.
"The reason [for the foundations' complaints] is not homosexuality," said Nikolai Borodachyov, director of Russia's Gosfilmofond, or State Film Foundation, in comments published by the BBC's Russian service on Tuesday.
Borodachyov was referring to a recent report in Russian newspaper Izvestia that said the screenplay for Greenaway's "The Eisenstein Handshakes" had been sent back to the British director for revisions when the foundation objected to its portrayal of Eisenstein's homosexual orientation.
"I wasn't talking about [homosexuality] at all; they [the Izvestia journalists] raised that issue … We do have issues with the screenplay, but not in that sense," Borodachyov was cited as saying.
Borodachyov added that the film foundation had not made any official complaints to Greenaway and that it remains interested in participating in the film's production.
"Our aim is to buy the script from him, discuss it and, if it is acceptable, make a good film," Borodachyov said.
"The Eisenstein Handshakes" is set to begin shooting this year for release in 2016. Gosfilmofond has agreed to provide Greenaway with materials from state archives.
The film will be Greenaway's second on the life of the influential Soviet director, with the first, "Eisenstein in Guanajuato," set to premiere at the Berlin Film Festival in February.
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