In St. Petersburg, due to Orthodox protests, the screening of the film “Nosferatu. Symphony of Horrors” was canceled

Screening of V. Murnau's film "Nosferatu. A Symphony of Horror" has been canceled in St. Petersburg. The film, shot in 1922, was supposed to be shown on November 20 as part of the XIV Art-November International Festival.

The demonstration of the film to the music of Iraida Yusupova was coordinated with the administration of the St. Isaac's Cathedral museum-monument, a branch of which is a concert and exhibition hall, where the screening was planned.

However, hegumen Mstislav (Dyachina), secretary of the St. Petersburg diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, spoke out against the "feast of vampirism" in the cathedral and said that the church does not approve of such entertainment. In an interview with the youth newspaper Smena, he explained that the temple was "consecrated on relics" and suggested imagining that "on the remains of your loved ones, such as grandparents, someone will start dancing or showing a horror movie."

In order not to provoke a conflict, the administration of the concert and exhibition hall decided to cancel the screening of the film, limiting itself to performing the soundtrack to it.

Sources

• Canceled screening of the first film about vampires "Nosferatu. Symphony of Horror" in the Smolny Cathedral in St. Petersburg // Portal-Credo.ru. 2007. November 20.