In 1981, Nicholas II and his family were canonized as passion bearers by the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, and later by the Moscow Patriarchate in 2000. For hardline Orthodox believers and monarchists, Nicholas II is a holy figure. The mere depiction of the future saint engaging in a passionate, pre-marital sexual affair was viewed by religious conservatives as blasphemy and an insult to Russian history. The backlash was severe and, at times, violent:
The true legacy of Matilda lies not in its narrative or its box-office returns, but in the massive cultural and political firestorm it ignited in Russia prior to its release. Lo zar e la ballerina [HD] (2017) Bluray 1080p.mp4
State Duma deputy Natalia Poklonskaya led a fierce campaign to ban the film, submitting numerous complaints to prosecutors. In 1981, Nicholas II and his family were
By viewing Matilda , the audience is not just watching a beautifully rendered digital file of a 2017 film. They are witnessing the exact moment where the ghost of Russia's imperial past rose up to challenge the boundaries of modern artistic expression. The backlash was severe and, at times, violent: