The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences is to ban all Russian programs from its competition.
“In support of Ukraine, the executive committee of the International Academy has decided to bar all programs from Russia from this year’s International Emmy Awards competition,” the International Academy said in a statement on Friday.
The move to join a boycott of Russian film and TV series follows the previously announced action of suspending memberships, as well as all formal affiliations, with Russia-based companies. All TV series produced by or co-produced with Russia-based companies, or originally made for a Russian-owned channel, network or streaming platform, will now be ineligible for the International Academy Awards competition.
If submitted, Russian programs will be withdrawn. The International Emmys have joined a growing boycott of Russian cinema and the Russian TV industry following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, which now stretches into its second month.
The international boycott aims at ensuring that, while Russia has become the subject of widespread sanctions aimed at Russian president Vladimir Putin, the country is still seeing benefits as some major film festivals and award competitions globally have chosen to accept submissions of films and TV shows from indie Russian filmmakers.
Earlier the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced it will not do business with any Russian entities in the wake of Vladimir Putin’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
Elsewhere, Netflix has halted production on Russian-language series, including a contemporary retelling of Anna Karenina, and the Ukrainian Film Academy has called for a boycott of Russian cinema.
