The film based on the deeds of former U.S. congressman Charlie Wilson (seen with his wife Barbara at the world premiere of the film in Los Angeles) has been nominated for four Oscars.
Photo: Reuters
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Russia Fights Charlie Wilson's War
The Hollywood film Charlie Wilson's War, which has been nominated for four Academy Awards, will not be shown in Russia. Head of the rental division Universal Pictures International Russia Vlad Efremov was quoted by information agencies as saying that the film, which deals with the Soviet war in Afghanistan, was withdrawn because of its anti-Soviet point of view. He said the decision was made in conjunction with the company's main office. UPI Russia executives called it “commercially unprofitable.” The film was scheduled for release in the spring of this year.
The film is based on the novel of the same name by journalist George Crile, which in turn is based on the true story of the most successful secret operation of all times, mounted by playboy Texas senator Charlie Wilson (played by Tom Hanks) and anticommunist socialite Joanne Herring (Julia Roberts) and ultimately resulting in the collapse of the Soviet Union. After Herring convinces Wilson that the U.S. response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was insufficient, Wilson enlists CIA maverick Gust Avrakotos to fund Afghan mojahedin directly. The film has a $75-million budget and has earned $65 million in the United States since its release in December.
The last big-budget film not to be released in Russia was Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, which 20th Century Fox decided not to show after receiving a letter from the Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography warning it that the film might be considered offensive. That agency told Kommersant that it had no objects to Charlie Wilson's War. Russian bloggers have reacted to the new film with rage, however.
www.kommersant.com
All the Article in Russian as of Feb. 08, 2008
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