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First Days of Ukrainian Cinema Began in Vinnytsia Oblast

Ukrainian Cinema Foundation and Nemiroff Company announced the start of the Days of Ukrainian Cinema festival in Vinnytsia oblast.

This was announced at a press conference December 3, 2009, at Vinnytsia Oblast State Administration HQ. Among the participants of the event were Head of the Board of Directors of Ukraine 3000 Foundation Oleksandr Maksymchuk, were Head of Vinnytsia Oblast State Administration Oleksandr Dombrovsky, President cum Head of the Board of Directors of Nemiroff Holding Oleksandr Hlus, Director of the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation Andriy Khalpakhchi, and actress Larysa Kadochnykova.

The festival was organized by the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation and Nemiroff Company and supported by Vinnytsia Oblast State Administration. Film demonstrations will be held December 3-5 at Vinnytsia, Nemyrov, and Haysyn movie theaters.

“Our mission is, one the one hand, arouse interest in the domestic cinema in Ukraine and, on the other hand, support the Ukrainian cinema in its present hard situation,” Mr. Khalpakhchi said. “We will be happy when our spectators come to see Ukrainian films.”

The Director of the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation read out the festival’s program. For three days Ukrainian films of the latest years will be demonstrated in three towns in Vinnytsia oblast: The Living by Serhiy Bukovsky, Light is the Night and Birds of Paradise by Roman Balayan, and Ukrainian classics: Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors by Serhiy Parajanov. Short films will be represented by works of young directors, prize winners of international film festivals: Streetcar No. 9 by Serhiy Koval, Adolescence by Dmytro Sukholytky-Sobchuk, On the Edge by Artem Sukharev and Mykyta Ratnikov, and Dreams Sanctuary by Serhiy Volkov. The festival participants (organizers, actors, and directors) will hold meetings with spectators in all three locations.

The participants of the press conference noted on the successful cooperation between the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation and Nemiroff Company. In part, due to the partners’ efforts, the Ukrainian cinema was represented more than once at Berlin and Cannes film festivals and other important international film forums. Days of Ukrainian Cinema have been held in many European cities.

NMr. Maksymchuk spoke about the Ukraine 3000 Foundation’s activities in supporting the domestic cinema, in part, the For Developing National Cinema award the Foundation hands over on an annual basis within the framework of the Molodist Film Festival. He also mentioned the global success of The Living by Serhiy Bukovsky, created on commission from Ukraine 3000 Foundation. The film, premiered in 2008, has been on competitive and non-competitive programs of many international film festivals and was highly appraised by the public and cinema experts. “We are doing a lot for the promotion of the Ukrainian cinema abroad and far from enough – in Ukraine. I hope, however, that festivals like that opening today in Vinnytsia oblast will become a tradition,” he said.

“Today the first festival of Ukrainian cinema in Ukraine starts,” Mr. Dombrovsky said, “but I’m sure there will be a second and third.” The governor said that Vinnytsia oblast would also play host for another exchange festival, the Days of Polish Cinema in Ukraine.

“The major task of the Ukrainian cinema festival in Vinnytsia oblast is promoting and popularizing of the national cinema. We believe that the art of cinema reflects the national soul. The film adaptation of situations, characters, images gives us a chance to see the situation from the outside and appreciate not only the director’s work but also the national spirit and the environment that forms it. Today we give chance to all Vinnytsia oblast residents to see Ukrainian films free of charge and not only praise the talent and skills of their compatriots but take a look at the generous soul of our people depicted in these films,” Mr. Hlus said.

Also present at the event were widow of Ivan Mykolaychuk, Maria, and young Ukrainian animator Mykyta Ratnikov.