Please join the KAA and its partners in the fight against Borat
The following is a press release from the Kazakh Cultural Media Association and its partners, calling “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” to be barred from major film competitions:
(WASHINGTON, D.C., 12/14/20) – Two Ukrainian organisations, the Kharkiv Association of Kazakhstanis "Birlik", and the Society of Kazakh Culture of Donbass, as well as Kazakhstan’s Women's Rights organization NeMolchiKZ (“Don’t Be SIlent”) Public Fund join organisations from all over the world in calling on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Directors Guild of America and British Academy of Film and Television Arts to publicly bar “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” from their respective competitions this year.
“Kazakhstan has a rich history. Ours is a huge country. Kazakhs are historically known as brave, courageous, open-minded and welcoming. We have went through the decades of genocide: revolution, collectivisation, repressions, 2x famines, WWII, nuclear testing - during which millions of Kazakhs perished. We managed to keep our national identity, our language, our beautiful traditions and rich culture. Mr Cohen ripped it all apart, abused us publicly for profit and brought back those decades of oppression and trauma when Kazakhs were targeted, persecuted and murdered,” said Makka Karazhanova, chairman of the Kharkiv Association of Kazakhstanis "Birlik".
"Borat" is a dangerous sort of propaganda. It incites racial hatred by portraying Kazakhs in the extreme, offensive, deceptive way. This is hate for profit. If Mr Cohen does not care about human rights, about common decency, about tragic consequences and harm that his film leads to, then we rely on the film award organisations to stand up against such blatant racism and stand for Kazakhs, or any minority, ethnic or otherwise, and hence stand against harmful propaganda, racism and genocide” - said Marik Dzhangutinov, chairman of the Society of Kazakh Culture of Donbass.
“Mr. Cohen’s “comedy” promotes unacceptable social values and behaviors largely condemned by modern society. By cleverly transferring his abuse on to an underrepresented ethnic minority he continues to propagate and promote his dangerous abusive views. Mr. Cohen’s audience is shown it is ok and hilarious to devalue, harass, target, attack, humiliate and violate women. Mr. Cohen’s films inspire and promote the same dangerous type of behavior towards women,” - said Dina Smailova, President of NeMolchiKZ Public Fund.
Jointly, we are calling on the film award organizations worldwide to publicly condemn whitewashing and cultural appropriation, stand against racism and racial hatred and remove Mr. Cohen, his cast, crew and film “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm” from their respective competitions this year.
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NeMolchiKZ Public Fund www.facebook.com/NeMolchiKZ is a not-for-profit organisation protecting the rights of women and children who became targets of violence. The Kharkiv Association of Kazakhstanis "Birlik" is a historic organisation dedicated to searching for and identifying Kazakh soldiers who perished during WWII www.birlik.org.ua. The Society of Kazakh Culture of Donbass is a public organisation representing Kazakhstan culture in Ukraine.
CONTACT: Gia Noortas press@kazakhculturemedia.org Twitter: @GiaNoortas
SEE: Letters from Women's Rights Organization NeMolchiKZ
SEE: Letters from Ukrainian Kazakh Organizations
SEE: Letters from Georgian Organizations
SEE: Letters from the Kazakhstan Organizations in Canada / UK / Turkey / Mongolia
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SEE: Letters from Hungarian Turan Foundation
SEE: Letters from Kazakh-American Assn, Hollywood Film Academy and CAIR National to The Academy, HFPA, DGA and BAFTA
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