Director, People's Artist of Russia Alexey Uchitel left the Russian Oscar Committee, he informed TASS.

Earlier, the website of the National Academy of Picture Arts and Science of Russia reported that the Presidium of the Russian Film Academy would not nominate Russian films for the Oscar in 2022. In this regard, Pavel Chukhray, Nikolay Dostal, Andrey Zvyagintsev, Vladimir Kott, Sergey Bodrov Sr. and Vera Storozheva have already left the Russian Oscar Committee.

“It is strange that the Presidium of the Film Academy did not respond to my request to get together and work out a common position. Or at least explain its decision,” Uchitel said. “Therefore, I am also forced to withdraw from the committee,” he added.

Uchitel called for an immediate meeting of the members of the presidium. He believes that the members of the committee were "treated unethically". The director noted that in the current situation it was necessary to nominate a Russian film for an Oscar in order to show that "Russian cinema exists."