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MOSCOW – A young Lithuanian filmmaker wore a t-shirt supporting jailed feminist punk rockers Pussy Riot as he walked down the Moscow International Film Festival’s red carpet on Thursday.
Romas Zabarauskas, who showed up in the Russian capital to present his debut feature We Will Riot in the Films Around the World section, seemed to be sporting formal attire as he walked down the red carpet towards the Rossiya theater on the festival’s opening night. But when he approached reporters, he unbuttoned his shirt, showing a blue T-shirt underneath with the slogan “Free Pussy Riot.”
STORY: Pet Shop Boys Express Support for Pussy Riot in Moscow
Earlier, Zabarauskas, who is openly gay, expressed concerns about the law against “propaganda of homosexuality,” which was recently adopted in Russia. He told The Hollywood Reporter that although We Will Riot “is not a gay film, it does have a gay subplot and it will be interesting to see how it is accepted in Moscow.”
The film is scheduled to be screened on Monday.
Meanwhile, a similar manifestation of support for Pussy Riot at the opening ceremony of the Moscow International Film Festival occurred last year, when the punk rockers were still awaiting their trial. Back then, Russian film director Olga Darfi walked down the red carpet wearing a balaclava, a common sign of support for the feminist punk rockers.
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