Darkness and light

British singer Charli XCX presented her documentary film The Moment at Berlinale, an international festival in Berlin. During her public speech at the festival, the artist thanked the festival for supporting creators with a clear political and social position, emphasizing that her team wants to work specifically in an environment where “bold voices” and public discussion matter.

The film’s afterparty was organized by the Berlin project Dance Hole, whose founder is Anastasia Shevtsova (@Petit on Instagram).

Her mother, Zhanna Shevtsova, is the president of the Russian foundation “Tradition,” which cooperates with state cultural structures of the Russian Federation and carries out "cultural activities" with children in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine — in Donetsk, Luhansk, and Mariupol.

This foundation runs "educational projects" and also provides "humanitarian support" to cultural centers for children in the temporarily occupied territories, while in its own materials it calls these children “children from the new territories” of the Russian Federation.

Nina herself did not condemn the Russian invasion of Ukraine, only posting a black square with the Russian word “Peace,” and later saying in a statement that she is “against all forms of violence” and “prays for peace,” while also saying she does not think it necessary to speak publicly about political issues and that politics is not her field.

So, to speak, her loving mother handles that part — when she breaks Ukrainian children, oh sorry, “children from the new territories of Russia,” who supposedly are not anything else.

The Ukrainian community wrote to Charli XCX even before the afterparty was organized about Nina’s connections, but Charli XCX decided to ignore it and additionally scheduled the release of The Moment in Russia in April.

Hopefully some of the abducted Ukrainian children will be able to go see it, because, one way or another, Charli XCX wants to support Russia in its crimes.

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For context: Ukrainians took to the streets in 2013 to oust pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych and restore 2004 amendments to their constitution that weakened presidential power over their parliament. They blocked up the streets of Kyiv with tires (as well as bricks and anything else they could get their hands on), building barriers that prevented the military from removing protestors.