| Campaign of Hate: Russia and Gay Propaganda | |
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| Directed by |
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| Written by | Scott Stern |
| Produced by |
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| Edited by | Olga Lvoff |
| Music by | Daniel Halle |
Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 79 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | English Russian |
Campaign of Hate: Russia and Gay Propaganda is a 2014 American documentary about LGBT rights in Russia directed by Scott Stern and Michael Lucas.
Michael Lucas interviews various LGBT advocates in Moscow, Russia. Topics include homophobia in Russian society, gay bashing, the Russian LGBT propaganda law, and Vladimir Putin's administration.
Lucas invested $100,000 of his own money in the documentary. Shooting took place in Russia over the course of a month. [1] A Kickstarter campaign was launched in December 2013 to complete post-production. [2] Lucas, who had previously renounced his Russian citizenship and emigrated to the US, [3] said that he neither enjoyed being back in Russia nor filming the documentary; however, he felt that someone had to do so. During his interview with Milonov, Lucas said that he attempted to remain as calm as possible in order to allow Milonov's remarks to speak for themselves. Although it was not included in the theatrical release, Lucas said he engaged in a debate with Milonov late in the interview, during which Milonov became angry and left. [4] Lucas cited weak opposition in the West to Russia's policies as one of the reasons why he shot the documentary. He said that he hoped to keep the issue in the news by highlighting it. [5]
Campaign of Hate was released on DVD on April 1, 2014, and video on demand in May 2014. [6]
Out wrote, "This film isn't Lucas walking away from Russia, but a clear-eyed, unsentimental look at a country that demonize LGBTs in a concerted, violent, and dangerous way for political gain." [7] David Lewis of the San Francisco Chronicle wrote, "The film, which puts the campaign of hate into political context, includes LGBT folks from all walks of Russian life, and we can't help but marvel at their courage in a time of such peril." [8] WBOC-TV rated it 3/5 stars and wrote, "It's good as a series of testimonies, but, as a complete documentary, it's rather lacking." [9]
Anti-LGBT rhetoric comprises themes, catchphrases, and slogans that have been used in order to demean lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. They range from the demeaning and the pejorative to expressions of hostility towards homosexuality which are based on religious, medical, or moral grounds. It is a form of hate speech, which is illegal in countries such as the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.
Peter Gary Tatchell is an Australian-born British human rights campaigner, best known for his work with LGBTQI+ social movements.
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In the Russian Federation, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people face significant challenges not experienced by others. Although sexual activity between people of the same sex is legal, homosexuality is disapproved of by most of the population, pro-LGBT advocacy groups are deemed extremist and banned, and it is illegal for individuals to "promote homosexuality"; in addition, same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are ineligible for the legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. Russia provides no anti-discrimination protections for LGBT people and does not have a designation for hate crimes based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Transgender people are not allowed to change their legal gender and all gender-affirming care is banned. There are currently no laws prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity or expression, and recent laws could be used to discriminate against transgender residents.
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Nikolay Alexandrovich Alexeyev is a Russian LGBT rights activist, lawyer and journalist.
Michael Lucas is a Russian-American-Israeli businessman and with his ex-husband, is the co-founder and CEO of Lucas Entertainment, Manhattan's largest gay-adult-film company.
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Peter LaBarbera is an American social conservative activist and the president of the anti-gay organization Americans for Truth about Homosexuality (AFTAH).
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Vitaly Valentinovich Milonov is a Russian politician, deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation since 2016. A member of United Russia, he has served as a Member of the State Duma for Saint Petersburg South since 2016. As a legislator, he is known for his opposition to LGBT rights in Russia. From 2007 to 2016, he was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg.
Children-404 is a Russian LGBTI online community on Facebook and on the social networking site VK.
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The Russian federal law "for the Purpose of Protecting Children from Information Advocating a Denial of Traditional Family Values", also referred to in English-language media as Russia's gay propaganda law or anti-gay law, is a bill that was unanimously approved by the State Duma on 11 June 2013, then unanimously approved by the Federation Council on 27 June 2013 and was signed into law by President Vladimir Putin on 30 June 2013.
The Principle Six campaign, also Principle 6, or P6, was launched in January 2014 as an Olympic protests of Russian anti-gay laws in conjunction with the 2014 Winter Olympics being held in Sochi, Russia. Principle 6 refers to the sixth principle of the Olympic Charter that says any form of discrimination "is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement."
Any form of discrimination with regard to a country or a person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with belonging to the Olympic Movement.
Mikhail "Misha" Tumasov (he/they) is a Russian LGBTQ activist and human rights defender. Tumasov founded the Avers LGBT movement in Samara in 2011 and is currently the network director for the Russian LGBT Network.
Gays for Putin! is a Russian LGBT group that supports Vladimir Putin, endorsing his 2018 presidential campaign. The tongue-in-cheek initiative began following a homophobic presidential campaign ad in early 2018.
