Banned in Russia: Antiwar Film Adaptation of Russian Classic Novel Becomes Box Office Hit Despite Threats
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Michael Lockshin, an American-born director raised in Russia, made a $15 million film adaptation of "The Master and Margarita," a classic Russian novel.
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After Russia invaded Ukraine, Lockshin's film took on renewed relevance as a story about an artist persecuted by an authoritarian state.
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Russian propagandists attacked Lockshin as a "Russophobe" and "hater of Russian culture" for his antiwar views, calling for the film to be banned.
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Despite threats, the film premiered in Russian theaters, resonating with audiences as dissent has been criminalized under Putin.
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With over 5 million tickets sold, Lockshin's film became the top-grossing 18+ movie in Russian history, but its future remains uncertain.