The lack of documentaries is a security measure, said Viktor Fedoseyev, an organizer of Kinoteatr.doc, in a Monday interview. The companies that own the rights to the films have decided not to show them since this "could threaten the creators of the films, those people who took part in them," he said.
"Submission" was pulled from Rotterdam International Film Festival last year due to security concerns expressed by its production company, Column Productions. Hirsi Ali has received numerous death threats and now lives under 24-hour protection. The film is no longer being distributed.
The Russian organizers "reacted very calmly" to the decision not to show Gogh's documentaries, Fedoseyev said. "They can be dangerous, and particularly so in Russia."
Well, even involvement with less controversial Van Gogh productions generates threats as Sienna Miller has discovered, although I am beginning to think that some of these rumors surrounding Miller have a bit of a 'tabloid' character to them.