A Russian court recently imposed fines on a local news agency and one of its directors for a review they published about the popular series “Heated Rivalry,” a show that Russian officials view as promoting LGBTQ+ content. The fines were disclosed by the independent Russian news platform Mediazona and subsequently confirmed by CBC News. The review, focusing on the queer hockey series, was posted by SaratovBusinessConsulting, a website covering entertainment and news, and included a link on how to stream the show. The article, published in February and later removed, led to the fines due to its LGBTQ+ content.
The news agency responsible for the site faced a penalty of 500,000 rubles, equivalent to over $9,000 Cdn, while a director of the agency was fined 50,000 rubles, approximately $900 Cdn. Despite the restrictions on viewing the series in Russia, where it can only be accessed through a VPN or pirated platforms, “Heated Rivalry” has garnered a significant fan base in the country, with fan-created content circulating on social media.
Although the specific details of the review were not accessible as it was taken down, the show has received a rating of 8.3 out of 10 on Kinopoisk, a Russian counterpart of the Internet Movie Database, based on votes from over 60,000 fans. The series delves into the relationship between Russian and Canadian hockey players, with themes of personal struggles and LGBTQ+ representation resonating strongly with Russian viewers.
Russia has enforced stringent laws prohibiting LGBTQ+ content, signed by President Vladimir Putin in 2022, which extend to media censorship and bans on materials deemed to promote “non-traditional” relationships. The legislation has led to the removal of books and films from circulation, including works by notable authors like Oscar Wilde and Haruki Murakami. Furthermore, Russia has labeled the LGBTQ+ movement as an “extremist organization” and taken legal actions against individuals for sharing Pride flag imagery.
