A video calling on Russians to vote in the presidential elections next month has raised controversy over appeals to fear based on homophobia and racism.
The three-minute video paints a dystopian future facing those who fail to show up at the polls on March 18, with a slew of comically absurd laws. A 52-year-old man dreams that he is drafted into a multi-ethnic army, harassed by a communist son for donations and forced to limit his daily number of bathroom visits.
Arguably the most egregious outcome of the man’s decision not to vote is a law assigning each family with a “gay homestay” for a week.
“If he doesn’t find himself a pair, then you’ll have to be with him,” the man’s wife says.
“The law is the law,” a flamboyantly-dressed homestay tells him before suggestively biting into a banana.
Svetlana Galka, the actress who played the wife in the video, told the Govorit Moskva radio station that she was unaware of who had ordered the campaign ad and dismissed accusations of homophobia.
“This is simply a humorous promo, so what?” she said.
Russia’s Metro newspaper claimed in an article Sunday that the “viral” video was viewed more than 3 million times, although the actual video it linked to only had 3,500 views in the two days since it appeared online. The same video published under a different title a day earlier had just over 128,000 views.
The outlet said it did not have information about who was behind the video.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
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 every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
