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Ukrainian Cinema Foundation to Present National Cinema at the Berlin International Film Festival

February 5, 2008, the UNIAN Informational Agency hosted a press conference dedicated to the presentation of Ukrainian national cinema at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival. Among the participants of the event organized by the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation and Nemiroff International trademark were Advisor to the Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund Andriy Myroshnichenko, Director of the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation Andriy Khalpakhchi, Head of the State Cinematography Service Hanna Chmil, and Nemiroff’s PR Director Taras Yermakov.

The participants of the press conference informed the audience that, due to the support from the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation and Nemiroff International, the Ukrainian cinema would be first presented at the European Cinema Market within the Berlinale framework.

Mr. Khalpakhchi recited the history of the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation, created as a daughter of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Fund and presented in October 2007 at the Molodist International Film Festival. He also spoke about Foundation’s further steps, its plans to organize a Ukrainian Film Festival in Poland, Ukrainian Cinema Week in France, and presenting Ukrainian cinema at the Moscow and Cannes Film Festivals.

Mr. Myroshnichenko presented to those present the events Ukrainians are planning to conduct at the Berlin Film Festival. In the course of the festival, a Ukrainian Cinema Foundation stand will work, where one will be able to obtain Ukrainian Films Catalog 2006-2008, view promo video and trailers of Ukrainian films, get information on the history of and trends in the Ukrainian cinema. He added that five Ukrainian films would be presented at the Berlin Film Market. Besides, he said that the first-ever reception and presentation of Ukrainian films at Berlinale was scheduled for February 12.

Mr. Myroshnichenko said that the events within the framework of the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation would be financed by the Nemiroff Company, emphasizing that the funds earmarked for Ukraine 3000 Fund’s charitable projects would not be used for supporting the film foundation.

In his turn, Mr. Yermakov said that the Nemiroff Company had been supporting various projects, helping the world discover Ukraine and vice versa, for many years. He said that his company, having made possible the Ukrainian cinema presentation at the Cannes Film Festival 2007 and being one of the organizers of the Berlinale events, would further render support to actions aimed at presenting the masterpieces of the Ukrainian cinema to the world, in part, in cooperation with the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation.

Ms. Chmil gave a high appraisal to the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation steps toward presenting national cinema attainments on the global arena. She said that the work of the foundation, involving high professionals in cinema, with their longstanding experience in organizing film festivals and broad network of connections with renowned international cinematographers, was really important nad provided grounds to expect positive results.

The 58th Berlin International Film Festival will take place February 7-17, 2008. Ukraine will be represented by full-length At the Riverside by Yeva Neyman and short films Stray Dog by Valeriy Yamburzky, Pledge by Maryna Vroda, On the Border by Artem Sukharev/Mykyta Ratnykov, and Cab Driver by Roman Bondarchuk. It is planned that over 250 key persons in the international film industry (renowned directors, actors, producers, film critics, etc.) will take part at the February 12 reception organized by the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation, Molodist Film Festival, and Nemiroff International trademark.