Kiev hosts LGBT motion picture festival on Good Friday
(MENAFN) Kiev's LGBTQ community has sparked controversy by scheduling its top film festival, Sunny Bunny, to coincide with Easter week. The festival, which began on Good Friday, April 18, and will run until April 25, has faced backlash for its timing and the "queerly seasonal" name. In 2025, all Christian denominations will celebrate Easter on the same day, making the event's overlap with such a significant religious occasion especially contentious.
Former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, now leader of the opposition Fatherland (Batkivshchyna) party, criticized the festival's timing, asking in a social media post, “Do you know what ‘nothing sacred’ literally looks like?” Several other members of Ukraine's parliament also expressed disapproval. MP Aleksey Goncharenko condemned it as a "provocation" against Ukrainian traditions, faith, and the soldiers who have died for their country, asserting that Good Friday is a day for silence and prayer.
Sunny Bunny, which started in 2008 as part of another event, became an independent festival in June 2023, one year after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict. Ukrainian MP Daniil Getmantsev also condemned the timing, suggesting it harmed the public image of the LGBTQ community.
Festival organizers defended their choice of dates, claiming it was based on the international festival calendar and logistics, not intended to offend religious groups. They argued that Ukraine is a secular country and criticized some of the backlash as homophobic, accusing critics of using Christian holidays as a cover for anti-LGBTQ sentiment.
The festival, which has previously faced heightened security, received threats of attacks and arson in 2023 from opponents. Amid the ongoing conflict with Russia, Ukrainian LGBTQ groups have sought to raise their profile, with some supporting fundraisers for drones to aid the Ukrainian armed forces.
In contrast, Russian MP Sergey Mironov denounced the festival, claiming it signaled a rejection of traditional values. He argued that LGBT culture is a threat to civilization and expressed relief that Russia remains unaffected by such events.
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