MTV RUSSIA SCANDAL AS DIRECTOR REFUSES TO PRESENT AWARD

Last updated: Thursday, April 26, 2007

MTV RUSSIA SCANDAL AS DIRECTOR REFUSES TO PRESENT AWARD

MTV Russia's movie awards were engulfed in scandal last week (19Apr07) when a presenter refused to hand over the award for Best Movie, after realising which film had won the category.

Oscar-winning director Vladimir Menshov was due to announce the award's winner at last Thursday's (19Apr07) ceremony, but when he saw that World War Two drama Svolochi (Scum) had beaten the competition to claim the accolade, he stormed off stage in disgust.

Svolochi, directed by Alexander Atanesyan, tells the supposedly true story of a group of teenage criminals who were sent on a suicide mission behind German lines during the Second World War. The movie caused great controversy when it was released in Russia last year (06).

On stage at Moscow's Pushkin Theatre, Menshov said, "I'm not going to hand over an award to a film that discredits my country. Let Pamela Anderson (fellow guest presenter) do it instead."

MTV claim the reaction, which was broadcast live, was "not part of the scenario".

Source: WENN

| Thursday, April 26, 2007

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