Photo: Karwai Tang/WireImage
Charli XCX issued an apology for hosting an after-party for her film The Moment at the Berlin Film Festival, featuring DJ Petit, legal name Anastasia Shevtsova, who allegedly has ties to Russia. “Hi everyone < 3 For clarity, neither me nor my team were aware of any of the alleged affiliations around the party in Berlin,” Charli explained on Instagram Stories on February 19. “I would like to take this opportunity to say I stand against the atrocities committed by the Russian government in Ukraine and I stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.” According to United24 Media, Shevtsova’s mother is a founder of the “Traditsiya” foundation, which works with Vladimir Putin’s Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives. Ukrainian artists protested the after-party on February 14. “When a Russian state-affiliated foundation operates in occupied Ukrainian territories, it functions within — or alongside — occupation administrations,” organizers wrote. “This contributes to the normalization and legitimization of the occupation.”
Shevtsova clarified her stance on the Ukraine-Russia conflict in an Instagram statement. ”My family members live in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. The current tragedy affects me personally and deeply. I would never wish harm, violence, or suffering upon anyone. What is happening is heartbreaking for millions of families, including mine,” she wrote. “For the past four years, I have lived and worked in Europe, focusing exclusively on my artistic work. I am not involved in politics or any activities connected to the conflict.”
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