STAR *RUSSIAN DIRECTOR* SAYS

IN recent years, Serebrennikov crticised growing censorship of the arts in Russia, warning that   ''everything is returning to the most pathetic Soviet practices''.

Russian and European actors have staged multiple campaigns calling for his release, wearing  ''Free Kirill'' T-shirts from Avignon to Zurich.

Serebrennikov was arrested in August 2017 in Saint Petersburg, where he was shooting a film about a  Soviet rock band, and brought to Moscow, in a move that sent shivers through the Russian art community............ 

ACCLAIMED Russian director  'Kiril Serebrennikov insisted he ''never stole anything'' as he appeared in court  Wednesday on embezzlement charges, seen by his supporters as part of a crackdown on artistic freedom.

The  49-year old, who has challenged social norms and revolutionsed the Russian art scene, made the remarks at his first open hearing after spending more than a year under house arrest.

''I can say that I don't understand anything,'' the artistic director of the Gogol Centre theatre said in a Moscow's Meshchansky district court.

''I never stole or embezzled anything,'' he said, sporting his trademark black hat and purple sneakers.

He said he had never been involved in financial matters and derided the persecution for repeating the same ''absurd'' charges over and over again.

The court was packed with dozens of supporters including award-winning film director Andrei Zvyagintsev, writer Lyudmila Ilitskaya and actress Kseniya Rappoport.

Setrbrennikov's three co-defendants - Sofia Apfebaum, Yuri Itin and Alexei Malobrodsky - were also in court for the trial set to continue for weeks at least.

The award winning director is accused of embezzling more than $2 million of state funding for a theatre project. He has insisted the money was used properly.

The director's supporters see his case as part of growing clampdown on artistic independence under President Vladimir Putin.

Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett has been among those calling for the charges against him to be dropped. [Agencies].