Ukrainian patriots decry distortions of history in Taras Bulba film

Ukrainian nationalists want Minister Vovkun to tell them why foreigners are allowed to misinterpret the history of Ukraine and, moreover, why such misinterpretations are demonstrated publicly in Ukraine.

The letter says the ministry of culture must be aware of its responsibilities to produce domestic cultural product and ban the showing of films in the country not dubbed into Ukrainian.

The Bandera center activists have invited Minister Vovkun to a round table on Apr. 29 to answer their questions in public.

“Apr. 2, the Taras Bulba film based on Mykola Gogol’s novel and produced by Volodymyr Bortko was released to public in Ukraine.

The film was met with mixed feelings by Ukrainian patriots. The highly questionable interpretation of the Ukrainian history by the film producer who based his film on the Russia-censored novel and openly pro-Russian affiliation of the film’s characters have turned the original novel describing the heroic struggle of Ukrainian Cossacks for liberation into yet another manifestation of Russia’s imperial assertions.

We have four questions to you, Mr. Minister:

1. How longer can foreigners, backed by indiscriminate politicians and TV channels, freely interpret the Ukrainian history?

2. How longer can we tolerate the appearance of such flagrant misinterpretations of our history?

3. Why is a film, which is not dubbed into Ukrainian, shown in Ukraine?

4. When will the ministry of culture begin to fulfill its immediate duties to support production of Ukrainian cultural products?

We expect to hear the answers to our questions as well as other questions that may emerge at the round table at the S. Bandera Center for National Revival on Apr. 29 at 14.00.”