Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev has made a call for the cessation of the war in Ukraine, criticizing the leadership of the Russian Federation.

Andrey Zvyagintsev, a Russian filmmaker in exile, won the Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival 2026 with his film ''Minotaur'', a drama about the Russian bourgeoisie in the context of the war in Ukraine. During the ceremony, he called on President Vladimir Putin to ''put an end to this slaughter'', provoking a vehement reaction from the Kremlin. Spokesman Dmitri Peskov accused Zvyagintsev of not condemning the violence in Donbas, which preceded the 2022 invasion. In response, Zvyagintsev emphasized that he has no words to say, just like the majority of Russian citizens, and urged the authorities to end the war, warning that the future brings nothing good. His film, shot in Latvia, addresses themes of moral decay and manipulation in the context of recruitment for war. Zvyagintsev expressed concern that his film will not be screened in Russia due to its anti-war message.