The release of American-British film "Child 44," about a serial killer of children in the Soviet Union, has been canceled in Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan following similar moves in Russia and Belarus, media reported Thursday.
A source at the Kyrgyz movie theater chain Cinematica was quoted by Interfax as saying the decision was made by the national Culture Ministry.
Earlier this week Russia's Culture Minister Vladimir Medinsky wrote that the film portrays the Soviet Union as a land of "physically and morally defective subhumans" where "starving children eat their weaker classmates."
Unlike the 2014 Russian film "Leviathan," which was widely acclaimed in the West despite being barraged with complaints by Russian officials, "Child 44" has been generally panned by Western critics.
One comment on popular review site Rotten Tomatoes, which grades the film as 31 out of 100, tells potential moviegoers to "just say nyet."
Contact the author at p.spinella@imedia.ru
… we have a small favor to ask. As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.
Remind me later.
