Czech Film and TV Academy issues statement in defense of Polish director Agnieszka Holland

The Czech Film and Television Academy has expressed support for Polish director Agnieszka Holland, who has come under fire in her home country Poland over her prize-winning refugee drama Green Border. Justice Minister Zbigniew Ziobro described the film as "neo-Nazi propaganda", further escalating attacks on the artist, which include threats of physical liquidation.

The Czech Film and Television Academy issued a statement denouncing the attacks, saying they were not only a vile attack against her person, but against free artistic expression, which is one of the pillars of European culture and a means of social dialogue.

Green Border won the special jury prize in Venice last month. It tells the story of a Syrian family trying to get to Europe via the Belarus-Poland border in 2021, and the brutal treatment they receive at the hands of Polish border guards.