The program featured four films, scheduled for Sunday afternoons: The Return (2003), by Andrey Zvyagintsev; Russian Ark (2002), by Aleksandr Sokurov; Leviathan (2014), also by Zvyagintsev; and The Island (2006), by Pavel Lungin.

The final two screenings of a Russian film program were cancelled after the museum hosting the event received a formal letter from Ukraine's ambassador to Argentina. The decision has sparked a debate over cultural freedom, the role of public institutions and diplomatic pressure.

The Sarmiento Historical Museum, a public institution administered by Argentina's federal government and part of the country's national museum network, has become the center of a controversy after it abruptly cancelled the final two screenings of a Russian film program that had been scheduled for October. The decision followed a formal communication from Ukraine's ambassador to Argentina, Yurii Klymenko.

After the first two screenings had taken place, museum visitors were informed that the remaining screenings, scheduled for October 18 and 25, would be cancelled.

One of the criticisms concerns the filmmakers themselves, since both Andrey Zvyagintsev and Aleksandr Sokurov are known for their critical positions toward the Russian government. Their inclusion in the program makes the cancellation particularly controversial, since the films cannot simply be regarded as instruments of Russian official cultural propaganda.

The controversy also raises a broader question, to what extent should cultural institutions take international political circumstances into account when organizing artistic programs?

Culture is also a form of soft diplomacy. But there is a distinction between the Russian Embassy organizing cultural events to improve Russia's international image and a national historical museum, operating under the Argentine government, hosting a program dedicated to Russian cinema.

This distinction becomes particularly relevant when the program is not part of a broader exhibition about Russia or its culture.

The museum confirmed that it had received a formal letter signed by Ukraine's ambassador, Yurii Klymenko. In an official statement, its management explained:

"Upon receiving a formal communication signed by the Ambassador of Ukraine to the Argentine Republic, Yurii Klymenko, and taking into consideration the widely known international context affecting relations between Ukraine and Russia, the Museum's management decided to withdraw the final two films from the scheduled program."

According to Clarín's investigation, neither Argentina's Ministry of Foreign Affairs nor the Secretariat of Culture formally ordered the cancellation, but they did forward the embassy's request to the museum's authorities. The Ukrainian ambassador's letter was submitted through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and subsequently forwarded to the cultural authorities, eventually reaching the National Directorate of Museums and, ultimately, the Sarmiento Museum.

The final decision was therefore left to the museum's management, which opted to cancel the remaining screenings.

The institution defended its decision on grounds of institutional prudence, explaining that its intention was to avoid adding another source of tension to an already sensitive international situation.

It also stressed that the cancellation had nothing to do with the artistic merit of the films.

The decision has triggered criticism from cultural figures, some of whom have described it as an act of censorship.

The controversy also raises questions about the timing of the museum's decision. If institutional prudence was considered necessary in light of the international situation, why was this not taken into account before the program was announced?

More broadly, the episode invites reflection on whether withdrawing cultural activities because of diplomatic sensitivities constitutes a legitimate institutional precaution or an interference with artistic freedom.

The controversy unfolds against the backdrop of Argentina's foreign policy under President Javier Milei and the country's positioning regarding the war in Ukraine.

Milei has maintained a close political relationship with Donald Trump, who has pursued closer ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin and repeatedly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

The cancellation therefore raises another question, could the museum's decision be interpreted as reflecting an official Argentine government position regarding the war?

Although no formal cancellation order was issued under the authority of the ministers of Foreign Affairs or Culture, the involvement of diplomatic and cultural authorities has brought the relationship between government institutions and cultural programming under scrutiny.

The announcement posted at the Sarmiento Museum indicated that a new film program would begin on November 1. The next initiative was intended to feature four films by Italian filmmaker Luchino Visconti.