Sokurov supported his exclusion from the film development council.

Director Alexander Sokurov didn't know about the existence of the government council for the development of cinematography before his expulsion.

Caucasian Knot wrote that Sokurov's workshop was opened in 2010 in Nalchik. Its other famous graduates include directors such as Kantemir Balagov, Vladimir Bitokov, and Kira Kovalenko.

Director Alexander Sokurov "didn't even know about the existence" of the Government Council for the Development of Russian Cinematography, from which he was expelled by decision of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.

"What happened was simply a rotation of members, which should happen frequently. But I never took part in these meetings," the Daily Storm* quotes him as saying today.

"The government is in no way interested in the life of Russian cinema, so there was nothing to discuss there... It was right that they removed me [from the council] "[council]," the director believes.

It should be noted that nine people, including directors Alexander Sokurov, Valery Todorovsky, and former presidential cultural adviser Vladimir Tolstoy, have been excluded from the council for the development of domestic cinematography. The corresponding order from Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin was published on the official online legal information portal on January 30.

At the same time, nine members have also been added to the council, including Chairman of the Union of Theater Workers Vladimir Mashkov, First Deputy General Director of VGTRK Anton Zlatopolsky, director Sergei Ursulyak, General Producer of Okko Gavriil Gordeev, and General Director of MTS Media Sofia Mitrofanova.

In addition to awards at film festivals, the work of Sokurov's students has also received critical acclaim. Sokurov himself previously noted that he considers it important that his students raise issues related to the Caucasus. He explained the opening of the workshop In Nalchik, there was an attempt to form a strong regional initiative group of young specialists in the field of culture in a provincial city, according to the "Caucasian Knot" report "Alexander Sokurov: How Circassian Cinema Was Born".