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23 March 2009 14:44

The Living Film Demonstration and Round Table on Holodomor at the Days of Ukrainian Cinema in Koln

March 20-24, the first Days of Ukrainian Cinema in Germany were held in Koln. Within the framework of this event, organized by the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation’s structural unit, Ukrainian Cinema Foundation, and supported by Nemiroff international brand name, over 10 Ukrainian films were demonstrated at Koln Cinema House.

The program was opened March 20 by Serhiy Paradzhanov’s classic, The Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors, presented by actress Larysa Kadochnykova. The opening ceremony was attended by UCF director Andriy Khalpakhchi, advisor to the Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation Andriy Myroshnichenko, representatives of Koln Bundestag and the Embassy of Ukraine. The same day a reception was held at the Cinema House hall, celebrating the Ukrainian cinema.

In the following days, German cinema goers had a chance to view the films Two in One by Kira Muratova, Casting by Oleksandr Shapiro, Archbishop Andriy by Oles Yyanchuk, The Little Life by Oleksandr Zhovna, Sappho by Robert Crombie, Birds of Paradise by Roman Balayan, and a collection of Ukrainian short films from 2006-2009.

March 22, the Lev Kopelev Forum headquarters hosted the demonstration of The Living by Serhiy Bukovsky, created on commission from Ukraine 3000 Foundation. After the demonstration, a round table was held, dedicated to the Manmade Famine of 1932-1933 in Ukraine. Messrs. Khalpakhchi and Myroshnichenko in their speeches focused on unknown historical facts, connected with Holodomor, in part, Europe’s policy of non-intervention with the events in Ukraine in 1932-1933.

On March 24, the last day of the festival, the spectators were presented the Birds of Paradise by Roman Balayan (followed by a meeting with the director) and the film opening the Days of Ukrainian Cinema, – Serhiy Paradzhanov’s Shadows of the Forgotten Ancestors.