DOC NYC: FESTIVAL GUIDE THROUGH UKRAINIAN EYES

Published: November 13, 2024   

This fall season, DOC NYC is returning for its 15th annual edition, showcasing films at New York theaters like IFC Center, SVA, and Village East by Angelika. It’s the largest documentary film festival in the U.S. and Razom Cinema is proud to have two of our grantees being part of the line up. We invite you to join us in celebrating these powerful documentaries. Fill the theaters—this is an easy and meaningful way we can keep showing up for Ukraine. Our friends at DOC NYC have provided a discount code for you: DOCNYC_PTNRDISC_24.

AFTER THE RAIN: PUTIN’S STOLEN CHILDREN COME HOME

Deep in a forest by the Baltic Sea, a group of Ukrainian families come together to start the healing process with the help of golden retrievers and palomino horses at an animal therapy retreat. In the safety of the forest, the children’s memories of being illegally deported to Russia and their families’ struggles to rescue them are unraveled with the help of skilled and sensitive counselors. The joy and humor the children discover during their time in the forest make it easy to forget that their stories are the reason the International Criminal Court recently issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin. Nearly 20,000 abducted children remain in Russian institutions.

In-Person Screening:
– Thursday, November 14, 2024 6:30 PM | IFC Center
Q&A with Director Sarah McCarthy, producer Olha Beskhmelnytsina and film subjects Inna Sidoruk, Yvgeny Matveii, Sviatoslava and Sasha Mezhevoy.
– Friday, November 15, 2024 4:00 PM | Village East by Angelika

Online Screening:
– Friday, November 15 – Sunday, December 1, 2024

More about the film: www.aftertherainfilm.com

Razom Cinema Grantee

PORCELAIN WAR

What is worth fighting for, if not culture? Three Ukrainian artists take up arms when Russia invades their country, but refuse to put down their drive to create. After enlisting to defend their beloved homeland, Slava, Anya and Andrey channel their art into their new roles on the front lines, and demonstrate their pride in the vibrancy, passion, and rich heritage of Ukraine.

In-Person Screening:
Friday, November 15, 2024 8:45 PM | Village East by Angelika

More about the film: www.porcelainwar.com

Razom Cinema Grantee

 

THE BASEMENT

Dark rooms, heavy doors. On the left are the names of the murdered, on the right those of the deceased. Children’s paintings and prayers, despair echoes off the walls. In March 2022, Russian troops invaded the village of Yahidne, Chernihiv Raion. The residents were locked in the basement of the school, packed tightly together, for 27 days. Among them 77 children, the youngest just six weeks old. Too little water, too little air. Some lost hope, others lost their minds. 51-year-old Olha kept a diary of the time as a testimony in case no one survived. When the Russian soldiers were driven out, the inhabitants rebuilt the village.

In-Person Screening:
– Sunday, November 17, 2024 6:45 PM | Village East by Angelika 

Online Screening:
– Friday, November 15 – Sunday, December 1, 2024

 

Learn more about DOC NYC and the full festival lineup at www.docnyc.net.

Another Powerful Year of the Ukrainian Cultural Festival: Highlights from Our Second UCF Season

Published: November 8, 2024   

The 2024 Ukrainian Cultural Festival (UCF), co-presented by Razom for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute, Kyiv, sponsored by Self Reliance NY Federal Credit Union and produced with key partners such as the National Ballet for Ukraine, the Ukrainian Museum, Yara Arts Group, Rukh Arts Hub, Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival, Kyiv International Shorts Film Festival (KISFF), Linoleum Animation Festival, 128 LIT, and Columbia’s Harriman Institute, ended on October 31st after two weeks of Cinema, Literature, Performing Arts, and Visual Arts events. This year represents the second year of programming for the Festival and its leadership, Polina Buchak and Maria Genkin, are excited about the future:

Polina Buchak, Razom Cinema Impact Producer, on the Success and Future of the Festival:

“Our festival’s goal is to create a space for American audiences and the Ukrainian community to come together for meaningful cultural exchange. It’s a place where we confront complex histories, challenge stereotypes, and discover shared values. Most importantly, this festival stands as a testament to the endurance of Ukrainian culture—it existed, exists, and will continue to exist, despite Russia’s centuries-old attempts to erase it. This year, we definitely achieved that goal.”

Maria Genkin, Razom Board Member, on the Festival’s Impact and Vision:

“Yes, we want American audiences to understand that Ukrainians exist. This is why it’s essential to experience Ukrainian poetry, music, ballet, and other arts. Over the past two weeks, we welcomed many new audience members, many experiencing Ukrainian culture for the first time. This is the kind of impact we want now and for the future.”

Cinema

Six film screenings took place in New York, starting with Slovo House. Unfinished Novel on October 16th, a story about Ukrainian writers from the era of the Executed Renaissance who were gathered in the Slovo cooperative house built in Kharkiv in 1927. Key highlights were on Porcelain War – winner of a 2024 US Grand Jury Prize for Documentary at Sundance Film Festival, and La Palisiada, Ukraine’s 2025 Narrative Feature entry for the Academy Awards – on October 22nd and 24th, as well as Forever-Forever on October 28th.  Ukrainian Cultural Festival programming also included over 15 short films from two of the most renown Ukrainian shorts film festivals – KISFF and Linoleum. 

Razom Cinema

5 Videos

Literature

There were seven literature events during the festival, starting with a discussion with Ostap Slyvynsky at Columbia’s Harriman Institute on October 17th. Immediately following this, Ostap joined poets Yuliia Iliukha and Alex Averbuch for “Amid All Losses: Ukrainian poets as witnesses” in Razom’s new Flatiron District office. Other program spotlights included The Voices of Babyn Yar book talk and reading by Marianna Kiyanovska, Writer as a Volunteer with Andriy Lyubka, A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails with Halyna Kruk, and a book talk for Olena Stiazhkina’s Cecile the Lion Had to Die. Stiazhkina has been a part of the Festival since it began last year.

Performance

The best in Ukrainian performing arts was highlighted in Yara Art’s Group’s “Slap!” album launch followed by the poetry of well-known Ukrainian poet Serhiy Zhadan and the National Ballet of Ukraine’s long-awaited return to the U.S. after 30 years with a performance at City Center. Yara continued through the week with bandurist Julian Kytasty. Performance events concluded with the Ukrainian Contemporary Musical Festival, led by Leah Batstone, talking with Victoria Poleva about her opening at Carnegie Hall the following day. Poleva’s music was played by Anna Shelest and Irena Portenko at Faust Harrison Pianos to close out the performance events for the festival.

Visual Art

The visual art events for the Festival were created by partners Rukh Art Hub and the Ukrainian Museum in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute, Kyiv. Rukh opened Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala’s Water Drops on Burning Rocks at Mriya Gallery and Colors and Rhythms: Alexandra Exter in Ukraine, and A Guide to Decolonizing Ukrainian Art opened at the Ukrainian Museum, a lively discussion featuring Tetyana Filevska, Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, and Peter Doroshenko, Director of The Ukrainian Museum. 

Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped organize this extraordinary celebration of Ukrainian culture and to all who attended.

Stay tuned for more exciting events!

UKRAINIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL

Published: October 24, 2024   

The Ukrainian Cultural Festival is co-presented by Razom for Ukraine and the Ukrainian Institute, Kyiv and produced in partnership with the National Ballet of Ukraine, Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival, Yara Arts, Ukrainian Museum, KISFF, Linoleum Festival, and others and will take place October 15th through October 31st in New York.

Over the course of two weeks in October, you will have an opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of Ukrainian poetry and prose and check out the best in contemporary Ukrainian cinema. 

Meet writers Halyna Kruk, Marianna Kiyanovska, Ostap Slyvynsky, Yuliia Iliukha, Olena Stiazhkina, Andriy Lyubka, and Alex Averbuch. Watch “Porcelain War,” “La Palisiada,” and other award-winning films.

Below is the schedule of events. Please check in often for changes and ticket information.

Reach out to UCF@razomforukraine.org with any questions about the Festival.

Check out the highlights from our second UCF season: HERE

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15th AND WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16TH

Experience the magic of the National Ballet of Ukraine, one of the world’s top ballet companies and the country’s official ballet company, during their premiere tour of the United States, for the first time in over 30 years since the dissolution of the USSR. Straight from the historic Kyiv National Opera House, these world-class dancers will captivate you with a stunning program featuring timeless classics, including The Dying Swan, Don Quixote, and Giselle. The program tells stories of love, loss, and triumph, leaving you mesmerized by the company’s unparalleled grace and strength. Prepare to be swept away as the dancers defy gravity, their bodies soaring high above the stage with dance movements filled with intensity, emotion, and perfect harmony. 

Programming subject to change.

New York City Center
7:30 PM

TICKETS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15

Yara Arts Group’s “Slap!” album launch followed by new poetry from Serhiy Zhadan and Friends

Join Yara Arts Group for the launch of their “Slap!” music album with Bob Holman, Susan Hwang & Julian Kytasty, from their show “Slap!” about the Ukrainian artist David Burliuk. This music album performance will be followed by a second event with new Ukrainian poetry from Serhiy Zhadan and Friends.

Bowery Poetry Club

308 Bowery

7:00 PM – Slap! album launch

8:00 PM – Poetry from Serhiy Zhadan and friends

TICKETS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16

“Slovo House. Unfinished Novel” Film Screening

“Slovo House. Unfinished Novel” is a dramatic story about Ukrainian writers from the era of the Executed Renaissance who were gathered under the roof of one building and forced to work for the benefit of the Soviet system. The film depicts how the communist paradise turns into a communist hell. In 1927, Soviet Ukraine, by order of Stalin, the “Slovo” cooperative house was built in Kharkiv.

The most outstanding Ukrainian writers live in comfortable apartments. All of them became participants in an experiment aimed at deriving a new type of Soviet writer and establishing total control over the creative process in order to create a single artistic method of socialist realism. However, not every writer agrees to glorify Stalin’s cult. Unexpectedly for the residents of the “Slovo” House, an unknown young writer named Volodymyr Akimov moves in with them. Who is he? No one knows. With his arrival, strange events begin to happen in the “Slovo” House, events that its walls still remain silent about.

Film Facebook Page

Film Instagram Page

Quad Cinema
7:00 PM

TICKETS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 16 AND THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

Yara Arts Group presents Julian Kytasty, performing traditional and new music on the bandura, including music from Yara’s “The Magic of Light”

Yara Arts Group will present Julian Kytasty, Master of the bandura, a traditional Ukrainian instrument, performing original and traditional music, including music from Yara’s new theater piece “The Magic of Light.”

The Renee & Chaim Gross Foundation

526 LaGuardia Place

7:00 PM

TICKETS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17

A Ukrainian Dictionary of War: An Evening with Ostap Slyvynsky

You must register by 5pm on October 16, 2024 in order to attend this event.

Please join the Ukrainian Studies Program at the Harriman Institute for A Ukrainian Dictionary of War: An Evening with Ostap Slyvynsky.

Ostap Slyvynsky will present poetry and prose from the recently published, award-winning The Winter King (Lost Horse Press, 2023), translated by Vitaly Chernetsky and Iryna Shuvalova and the forthcoming A Ukrainian Dictionary of War (Lost Horse Press), translated by Grace Mahoney and Taras Malkovych. Also, in conversation with the Harriman Institute’s Mark Andryczyk, Mr. Slyvynsky will discuss his work today as a writer, scholar, and Vice President of PEN Ukraine.

Ostap Slyvynsky is a Ukrainian poet, translator, essayist, and scholar. He authored five books of poetry: Sacrifice of Big Fish (1998), The Midday Line (2004), Ball in Darkness (2008), Adam (2012), The Winter King (2018), as well as The Dictionary of War (2023), a documentary book based on a testimony of participants and witnesses of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. His books have been published in the USA (The Winter King, Lost Horse Press 2023), Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Slovakia, and Macedonia. He is also known for translating the works of Derek Walcott, William Carlos Williams, Charles Simic, Czesław Miłosz, Olga Tokarczuk, Georgi Gospodinov, and many others.

Columbia University
Harriman Institute Atrium

12th floor International Affairs Building, 420 W 118th St New York, NY 10027

6:30 PM

**This event is SOLD OUT**

TICKETS

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18

Amid all losses: Ukrainian poets as witnesses

When poets confront war, their writing transforms to both document and bear witness. Whether in Ostap Slyvynsky’s Dictionary of War, Yuliia Iliukha’s My Women or Alex Averbukh’s documentary poetry based on online conversations of Ukrainians living under Russian occupation, real people emerge with their stories, offering a harrowing account of what it is like to endure a violent invasion.

Razom for Ukraine Office
54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010

6:30 PM

TICKETS

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19

My Women by Yuliia Iliukha: NYC Launch

Join us to celebrate the U.S. Book Launch of Yuliia Iliukha’s My Women, translated from Ukrainian by Hanna Leliv. It will be held at dear friend books on Saturday, October 19th @ 7:30 pm.

Winner of 128 LIT’s 2023 International Chapbook Prize, My Women is an urgent and poignant story collection of women confronted by the countless brutalities of war. It locates the voices and devastating experiences of those who have been silenced, those who have lost loved ones, those who have fought and persevered, and those who have broken down. Through poetic repetition, the nameless protagonists, My Women, bring succinct and emotionally charged stories that evoke life during war in Ukraine with an intensity that is at times excruciatingly difficult yet deeply moving.

Dear Friend Books
343A Tompkins Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11216
7:30 PM

TICKETS

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20

Water Drops on Burning Rocks
Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala’s exhibition

Rukh Art Hub presents “Water Drops on Burning Rocks” — a new art show in NYC, featuring works by prominent Ukrainian and Spanish contemporary artists — Nina Murashkina and Xavier Escala. The exhibition will be on display from October 20th to October 27th at Mriya Gallery, — an art space showcasing Ukrainian artists in the US.

“Water Drops on Burning Rocks” is an artistic manifesto of multidimensional sensuality where candid and vivid canvases are balanced by the eloquent and tranquil silence of the sculpture, forging a space of an unrestrained experiment. The delicate harmony of contrasting artworks that are brought together, like water to a burning rock to form a mist of new, ethereal essence, creates a novel, multi-spectral creative realm.

Organized by Rukh Art Hub and Mriya Gallery

Supported by Razom for Ukraine

Event Website

Mriya Gallery

Opening Reception 10/20 @ 5:00 PM

TICKETS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21

Ukrainian Animation Shorts with Linoleum Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival

Together with LINOLEUM Contemporary Animation and Media Art Festival, we are bringing you a program of 10 Ukrainian Animation Short Films.

Comma
Sonia Leliukh
Ukraine | 04:00 | 2023
A person with an overwhelmed mind is waiting at the station. They attempt to piece together a coherent story from fragments of newspapers, exploring how one can survive and continue walking the dog amidst large-scale disasters.
Growths
Elina Pupina
Belgium, Ukraine | 07:19 | 2023
A young woman in search for her cultural identity is facing the pressures of oppressing neighbouring countries’ imperialist agendas. Sometimes it is difficult to stand free from the ties of others in order to identify your inner self and grow. Will she be able to go through this difficult path of self-exploration to gather all the pieces of her cultural background to free herself?
Touch
Anastasiia Martyniuk
Ukraine | 01:26 | 2024
A story about the unpredictable journey of human birth and the courage it takes to overcome loneliness and find intimacy. 
Wheel Of Freaks
Maksym Danylko
Ukraine | 06:30 | 2023
On his birthday, Yellow is surrounded by a peculiar gathering of guests. Suddenly, mysterious figures materialise, each embodying different aspects of his past life. Through chalk animation depicting cold icicles, the story of Yellow’s existence unfolds before his eyes. 
The Town On The Sand
Vladyslav Kalenskyi
Ukraine | 05:50 | 2024
The Russian occupation attempts to invade the imprinted memories, where the light in Ukrainian cities is preserved. 
“Naukova—Derzhprom”
Anastasiia Bondar
Ukraine | 01:31 | 2024
“Naukova – Derzhprom” is a fiction film depicting the author’s longing for her beloved city of Kharkiv during her forced displacement. Through symbols and visual metaphors, the film captures the sense of loss and the journey of rediscovery in new surroundings. Central to the narrative is a pendant adorned with the image of the city centre, a gift from Anastasiia’s mother. More than a mere object, it embodies memories of home and family, serving as an anchor that prevents her from becoming lost in time and space.
From the Past
Hanna Palamarchuk
Czech Republic, Ukraine | 01:16 | 2023
Memories surfaced through the smell of borscht, which once on a sunny day my grandmother cooked. They are never accurate, they are fast as lightning, but they carry in themselves a light nostalgia and calm. Moments that you want to remember forever: a song sung by mom, a clear sky above your head and the certainty of tomorrow, because there is still a whole summer of fun ahead.
DEEP LOVE
Mykyta Lyskov, 14:00, 2019
Deep love has finally happened in Ukraine.
TROIA
Andrey Naumenko, 02:34, 2022
TROЯ (Troіa) – these are the episodes of everyday life in the sleeping area of ​​Kyiv called “Troieschyna”. Here I was born, raised and I live here now. Here you understand that clothes don’t make the man and events can have unexpected endings.
THE WAR THAT IS ALWAYS AROUND
Iryna Harkavets, 01:34, 2022
Experience from Russia’s war against Ukraine and its aftermath in the form of PTSD. An animated film about surviving horror and coming home. First use of neural network animation in a short film along with classic animation.

Regal Union Square
Doors open at 6:00 PM
Screening starts at 6:30 PM

TICKETS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21

The Voices of Babyn Yar: A book talk and reading by Marianna Kiyanovska

With this collection of stirring poems, the award-winning Ukrainian poet honors the victims of the Holocaust by writing their stories of horror, death, and survival in their own imagined voices. Artful and carefully intoned, the poems convey the experiences of ordinary civilians going through unbearable events leading to the massacre at Kyiv’s Babyn Yar from a first-person perspective to an effect that is simultaneously immersive and estranging. While conceived as a tribute to the fallen, the book raises difficult questions about memory, responsibility, and commemoration of those who had witnessed an evil that verges on the unspeakable.

About Marianna Kiyanovska: Award-winning Ukrainian writer, translator, literary scholar, and public figure whose works have been translated into eighteen languages. She is the author of more than a dozen books of poetry, prose, and literary translation. A winner of the Vilenica International Literary Festival and the CEI Fellowship (2007), she was also awarded the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture in Poland (2013). In 2020, she was recognized with the prestigious Taras Shevchenko National Prize in Literature for The Voices of Babyn Yar. She is the Laureate of the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Prize and was named the European Poet of Freedom (both in 2022). The English-language translation of The Voices of Babyn Yar has won the 2022 Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Literary Work from the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the 2021–22 Translation Prize from the American Association for Ukrainian Studies (AAUS). This book was also shortlisted for the 2023 Best Literary Translation into English Prize from the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages (AATSEEL)

About Emily Hamilton (Moderator): Emily Hamilton is the producer of three documentary films, Why Ukraine, Slava Ukraini and Glory to the Heroes, by Bernard-Henri Lévy on Ukraine’s extraordinary resistance since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022, and is the Executive Director of Justice for Kurds. Previously, she was the Director of Development and Communications at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy. Emily serves on the board of the Albertine Books Foundation and The Octavian Report.

Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010

6:30 PM 

TICKETS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22

“Porcelain War” Film Screening

Amid the chaos and destruction of the brutal Russian invasion of Ukraine, three artists defiantly find inspiration and beauty as they defend their culture and their country. In a war waged by professional soldiers against ordinary civilians, Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov choose to stay behind, armed with their art, their cameras, and, for the first time in their lives, their guns. Despite daily shelling, Anya finds resistance and purpose in her art, Andrey takes the dangerous journey to get his young family to safety abroad, and Slava becomes a weapons instructor for ordinary people who have become unlikely soldiers. As the war intensifies, Andrey picks up his camera to film their story, and on tiny porcelain figurines, Anya and Slava capture their idyllic past, uncertain present, and hope for the future.

Regal Union Square
Time: 7 PM
Note: The film will be screened in Ukrainian with English subtitles.

TICKETS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Colors and Rhythms: Alexandra Exter in Ukraine

The avant-garde artist Alexandra Exter lived most of her life in Ukraine. Her homeland’s rich cultural heritage had a great impact on her work. Dubbed the “avant-garde Amazon,” Exter influenced a whole generation of Ukrainian artists. Join us at The Ukrainian Museum for a presentation delving into the important milestones in Exter’s work when she lived in Kyiv and Odesa, Ukraine. The presentation will be followed by a walk-through of our current exhibition, Alexandra Exter: The Stage Is a World, and a Q&A session.

Our guest speaker, Tetyana Filevska, specializes in Ukrainian modernism and Ukrainian contemporary art. She is the Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, the author of a number of books, including Kazimir Malevich: Kyiv Period, 1928–1930, the producer of several films, among them Malevich: Born in Ukraine, and the co-founder of the non-governmental organization Malevich Institute. Ms. Filevska curated the public program for the Ukrainian Pavilion at the 59th Venice Biennale, dedicated to the decolonization of Ukrainian and Eastern European art.

Ukrainian Museum

3:00 – 4:30 PM

TICKETS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24

A Guide to Decolonizing Ukrainian Art

A Discussion with Tetyana Filevska and Peter Doroshenko

Much of Ukrainian art history and many Ukrainian artists have been mislabeled as Russian as a result of Ukraine’s subjugation under imperial Russia and the Soviet Union. 

A new guide for museums that focuses on the decolonization of Ukrainian art and artists is scheduled for publication in the winter of 2025 by the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, Ukraine.  The project is the result of an initiative that began soon after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when preserving Ukraine’s cultural heritage adopted a greater sense of urgency. A partnership with the British Council, the Museum Association, ICOM UK, and ICOM Ukraine, the guide facilitates many of the questions that the international museum community has faced in its work since the invasion and includes guidelines on effectively identifying, collecting, researching, exhibiting, and labeling Ukraine’s cultural articles. 

Join us at The Ukrainian Museum for an evening of lively discussion about this project with Tetyana Filevska, Creative Director of the Ukrainian Institute in Kyiv, and Peter Doroshenko, Director of The Ukrainian Museum. The Ukrainian Institute’s mission is to promote knowledge and understanding of Ukraine internationally and to develop cultural relations between Ukraine and other countries. 

Ukrainian Museum

6:30 – 8:00 PM

TICKETS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24

“La Palisiada” Film Screening

Join us for a screening of an award-winning narrative feature “La Palisiada” (FIPRESCI Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival 2023). Philip Sotnychenko’s meta-cinematic investigation into the alienated underbelly of post-Soviet Ukraine is a muted reckoning with a past that must be confronted before its insidious grip on the present can be loosened.

Philip Sotnychenko’s award-winning DV debut feature uncovers the hidden connections between the violence of the past and the present. Shot on raw DV cameras, “La Palisiada” centers around an investigation into the murder of a police colonel in 1996 that ultimately leads to the final execution to take place in independent Ukraine. Twenty five years later, a new generation of young Ukrainians are facing their own personal and political crises, with shocking consequences.

TRAILER 

Quad Cinema

Doors at 6:30 PM, Screening at 7:00 PM

The film will be screened in Ukrainian with English subtitles.

TICKETS

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26

Writer as a Volunteer: How Ukrainian culture aids the war effort. Andriy Lyubka in conversation with Iryna Solomko

Amid the horrors of a full-scale invasion, many in Ukraine believe that Ukrainian culture has undergone a renaissance. New bookstores are opening, theaters are drawing crowds, and art exhibitions are breaking attendance records. During this meeting, Andriy Lyubka will discuss how, after the onset of the invasion, Ukrainian culture became a vital component of the country’s defense strategy. Beyond strengthening national identity and boosting morale, it has provided practical support, aiding the Armed Forces of Ukraine both financially and materially. The writer will present his nonfiction book War from the Rear, and share his volunteer efforts, which have raised over $1.5 million and resulted in the purchase of more than 310 vehicles for the front lines. He will also highlight other significant initiatives within Ukrainian culture and art that actively support the military.

Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010
2:00 PM 

TICKETS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails: Reading by Halyna Kruk

Halyna Kruk (1974) is an award-winning Ukrainian poet, writer, translator, and scholar. She is the author of five books of poetry/ Two collections have come out in English in the past two years: Griffin Poetry Prize shortlisted A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails (Arrowsmith Press, 2022) and Lost in Living (Lost Horse Press, 2024) Her numerous literary awards include the Sundara Ramaswamy Prize, the 2023 Women in Arts Award, the 2021 BookForum Best Book Award, the Smoloskyp Poetry Award, the Bohdan Ihor Antonych Prize, and the Hranoslov Award. She holds a PhD in Ukrainian baroque literature (2001). Kruk is a member of Ukrainian PEN; she lives and teaches in Lviv.

Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010

6:30 PM

TICKETS

MONDAY, OCTOBER 28

Forever-Forever Film Screening

After transferring from a downtown high school, Tonia (Alina Cheban) befriends a group of badass youngsters, trying to find protection from her past and a place she truly belongs. They spend time together, roaming around Kyiv’s post-socialist suburbs, having fun and getting in trouble.

Soon, Tonia falls in love with Zhurik (played by Zachary Shadrin, whose credits include HBO’s “Industry” and Apple TV+’s “Little America”). When she also falls for Sania (Arthur Aliiev), she finds herself tangled up in an alluring secret love triangle. But Tonia’s painful past still haunts her, challenging this newfound friendship and romance. Will she be able to find her own path or lose herself in this new controversial relationship? Set in the late 90s Kyiv, this is a story of the young and rebellious amid the ruins of the Soviet regime. Those who had to grow up faster due to the circumstances but got lost in the adult world. A story of which we need constant reminding, as some things only exist at the moment, while others last forever.

Quad Cinema

7:00 PM

TICKETS

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29

Ukrainian Virtuoso: the music of Victoria Polevá

On October 30, the American Composers Orchestra will bring to the stage of Carnegie Hall the music of Ukrainian composer Victoria Polevá, one of Ukraine’s most important living composers. Polevá’s “sacred minimalism” has gained particular traction with international audiences since the full-scale invasion; Her Bucha.Lacrimosa for the victims of the Bucha massacre has been performed around the world by the Ukraine Freedom Orchestra as part of their Freedom Tour 2024. The inclusion of her Symphony No. 4 “The Bell” in the season of a legendary American ensemble speaks both to the power and transcendence of her music. 

Join the Ukrainian Contemporary Music Festival and Razom for Ukraine on October 29th ahead of this important performance for an evening of her piano works, performed by Anna Shelest and Irena Portenko. Following the concert, Leah Batstone, Creative Director of UCMF, will speak with Polevá about her career, her compositions, and the role of music in contemporary Ukrainian culture.

Tuesday, October 29th 

Conversation between Victoria Poleva and Leah Batstone

Faust Harrison Pianos

207 West 58th Street, New York, NY 10019

7:00 PM

TICKETS

Wednesday, October 30th

ACO performance in Carnegie Hall featuring Victoria Poleva’s The Bell

Carnegie Hall

57th Street and, 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019

7:30 PM

TICKETS

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 30

Weathering the Storm. Ukrainian Short Films with KISFF

HELLO, I’M ON THE HILL | АЛЛО, Я НА ГОРІ
In the destroyed city of Izium, Kharkiv region, the Kremyanets hill has become an “island of communication”, where people can find mobile connection to get in touch with their families after months of Russian occupation.

TOO CLOSE | НАДТО БЛИЗЬКО
Two friends return from a party and stay at the home of one of them. It would
seem like an ordinary cozy evening but suddenly the heroes are caught in an air
raid.
BEWARE OF A GOOD DOG! | УВАГА, ДОБРИЙ ПЕС!
Stepan regularly adopts old dogs from the shelter, who spend their last days beside him and die peacefully. It’s his own way of coming to terms with the end of his life. He dreams die peacefully in old age during the war in Ukraine. But peace is a privilege stolen by the young boy Gogo. What happens when two enemies of different ages but equally lonely meet at the cemetery at night? They’ll smoke, eat a basket of ice cream, and dance.
WALK | ГУЛЯЮ
This is an autobiographical story by Daria Zhuravel, dedicated to childhood and to those who are no longer with us, but whose presence accompanies us wherever we go.
VOICE MESSAGES FROM BAKHMUT | ВОЙСИ З БАХМУТА
A story about an attempt to restore intimacy at a distance of the war, told via the voice messages of a foreign correspondent in a front-line city.
CHORNOBYL 22 | ЧОРНОБИЛЬ 22
During the Russian occupation of the Chornobyl Zone in early 2022, a local informant is clandestinely filming the Russian troops. The workers of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Station discuss their experiences during the Russian military takeover of their facility.

Regal Union Square

850 Broadway, New York, NY 10003

6:30 PM

TICKETS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31

Book Talk: Cecil the Lion Had to Die. 

Olena Stiazhkina in conversation with Irena Chalupa

In Cecil the Lion Had to Die, Olena Stiazhkina follows four families through radical transformations when the Soviet Union unexpectedly implodes, independent Ukraine emerges, and neo imperial Russia occupies Ukraine’s Crimea and parts of the Donbas. Just as Stiazhkina’s decision to transition to writing in Ukrainian as part of her civic stance—performed in this book that begins in Russian and ends in Ukrainian—the stark choices of family members take them in different directions, presenting a multifaceted and nuanced Donbas.

Join the author in conversation with Razom Book Club’s Irena Chalupa for a deeper dive into the book and the process of writing it.

Olena Stiazhkina is from Donetsk, Ukraine. A historian by training with dozens of scholarly articles to her name, she taught Slavic history at Donetsk National University for over twenty years until Russia began another bloody chapter of that history with its 2014 invasion of Ukraine. Stiazhkina is also a writer who has published eleven books of fiction, from novels and short story collections to detective novels (the latter under the pen name Olena Iurska). Her historian’s background and writer’s acumen combine in a body of creative work that is gripping, sharply observed, and tender—yet hilarious, and furious, too. Stiazhkina has received numerous awards for her fiction over the years, most recently the 2023 Lviv UNESCO City of Literature Award for her novel Cecil the Lion Had to Die, a bilingual novel in Russian and Ukrainian. Cecil the Lion Had to Die (translated by Dominique Hoffman) and Ukraine, War, Love: A Donetsk Diary (translated by Anne O. Fisher) are now available in English from the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute.

Razom for Ukraine Office, 54 W 21st St, New York, NY 10010

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Razom Announces Fall 2024 Book Tours with Ukrainian Writers

Published: October 22, 2024   

Razom for Ukraine is proud to announce that this year we are supporting the book tours of prominent Ukrainian writers in collaboration with over 15 American universities and institutions, with events scheduled in cities across the United States. This literary tour offers audiences a unique opportunity to engage with Ukrainian voices through readings, discussions, and book signings.

Below, you’ll find the scheduled appearances and biographies of the featured writers and poets.

Featured Writers and Poets:

  • Marianna Kyianovska
  • Ostap Slyvynsky
  • Olena Stiazhkina
  • Halyna Kruk

Ostap Slyvynsky

Ostap Slyvynsky is a celebrated Ukrainian poet, translator, essayist, and scholar. He has authored five books of poetry, including The Winter King (2018), and The Dictionary of War (2023), a documentary book based on testimonies of witnesses of the Russian aggression against Ukraine. His poetry has been published internationally, and The Winter King was recently shortlisted for the American Translation Prize and the Derek Walcott Prize. Slyvynsky is also a professor at the Ukrainian Catholic University (Lviv) and Vice President of PEN Ukraine since 2022.

Ostap Slyvynsky’s U.S. Tour Dates:

  • October 17, 2024
    Columbia University, New York
    Event Link

  • October 18, 2024
    Ukrainian Cultural Festival, New York
    Event Link

  • October 21, 2024
    Princeton University, New Jersey

  • October 23, 2024
    Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
    Event Link

  • October 24, 2024
    Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
    Event Link

  • October 26, 2024
    Ukrainian Cultural Center, Philadelphia

  • October 28, 2024
    University of Michigan, Michigan
    Event Link

  • October 30, 2024
    University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
    Event Link

  • October 31, 2024
    Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois

  • November 1, 2024
    University of Wisconsin, Madison
    Event Link

  • November 3, 2024
    House of Ukraine, San Diego, California
    Event Link

  • November 4, 2024
    University of California, San Diego, California
    Event Link

  • November 5, 2024
    University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
    Event Link

Olena Stiazhkina

Olena Stiazhkina is a historian and fiction writer from Donetsk, Ukraine, who combines her historical expertise with sharp, tender, and furious storytelling. She is the author of 11 books of fiction, including the award-winning Cecil the Lion Had to Die and Ukraine, War, Love: A Donetsk Diary, which are now available in English. She is the recipient of the 2023 Lviv UNESCO City of Literature Award.

Olena Stiazhkina’s U.S. Tour Dates:

  • October 23, 2024
    Miami University, Oxford, Ohio
    Event Link

  • October 24, 2024
    Tomorrow Bookstore, Indianapolis, Indiana
    Event Link

  • October 25, 2024
    Second Flight Books, West Lafayette, Indiana
    Event Link

  • October 27, 2024
    After-Words New and Used Books, Chicago, Illinois
    Event Link

  • October 28, 2024
    The American Literary Translators Association, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    Topic: “I Chose to Stop Writing in ___”: How War Changes Language Choices

  • October 31, 2024
    Ukrainian Cultural Festival, New York
    Event Link

 

Halyna Kruk

Halyna Kruk (1974) is an award-winning Ukrainian poet, writer, translator, and scholar. She is the author of five books of poetry/ Two collections have come out in English in the past two years: Griffin Poetry Prize shortlisted A Crash Course in Molotov Cocktails (Arrowsmith Press, 2022) and Lost in Living (Lost Horse Press, 2024) Her numerous literary awards include the Sundara Ramaswamy Prize, the 2023 Women in Arts Award, the 2021 BookForum Best Book Award, the Smoloskyp Poetry Award, the Bohdan Ihor Antonych Prize, and the Hranoslov Award. She holds a PhD in Ukrainian baroque literature (2001). Kruk is a member of Ukrainian PEN; she lives and teaches in Lviv.

Halyna Kruk’s U.S. Tour Dates:

  • October 28, 2024
    Ukrainian Cultural Festival
    Event Link

  • October 30, 2024
    UCSD, San Diego, California
    Event Link

  • November 1, 2024
    Stanford, Palo Alto, California
    Event Link

  • November 2, 2024
    Portland, Oregon
    Event Link

  • November 3, 2024
    University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
    Event Link

  • November 5, 2024
    Harvard University, HURI, Massachusetts
    Event Link

  • November 7, 2024
    NYU, New York, NY
    Event Link

  • November 12, 2024
    Penn State University, State College, PA

  • November 14, 2024
    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois
    Event Link

  • November 15, 2024
    University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
    Event Link

  • November 19, 2024
    University of Kansas, Kansas

 

Past Tours

Marianna Kiyanovska

Award-winning Ukrainian writer, translator, literary scholar, and public figure, Marianna Kiyanovska has had her works translated into eighteen languages. She is the author of more than a dozen books, including poetry, prose, and literary translations. A winner of the Vilenica International Literary Festival and the CEI Fellowship (2007), she was also honored with the Gloria Artis Medal for Merit to Culture in Poland (2013). In 2020, she received the prestigious Taras Shevchenko National Prize in Literature for The Voices of Babyn Yar. Kiyanovska is the Laureate of the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Prize and was named European Poet of Freedom, both in 2022. The English-language translation of The Voices of Babyn Yar won the 2022 Aldo and Jeanne Scaglione Prize for a Translation of a Literary Work from the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the 2021–22 Translation Prize from the American Association for Ukrainian Studies (AAUS). The book was also shortlisted for the 2023 Best Literary Translation into English Prize from the American Association of Teachers of Slavic and Eastern European Languages (AATSEEL).

Photo by Valentyn Kuzan

Marianna Kyianovska’s U.S. Tour Dates:

  • September 18, 2024
    Harvard, Cambridge, MA
    Event Link

  • September 20, 2024
    Grolier Cambridge
    Event Link

  • September 24, 2024
    Yale University
    Event Link

  • September 26, 2024
    Naval Academy

  • September 27, 2024
    Ukraine House, Washington, DC

  • October 3, 2024
    UT Austin
    Event Link

  • October 7, 2024
    UC Berkeley

  • October 9, 2024
    UCSD, San Diego, California
    Event Link

  • October 14, 2024
    University of Chicago
    Event Link

  • October 18, 2024
    University of Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana
    Event Link

  • October 21, 2024
    Ukrainian Cultural Festival, Razom, New York

  • October 22, 2024
    New York University, Jordan Center, New York
    Event Link

  • October 23, 2024
    University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
    Event Link

  • October 23, 2024
    Ann Arbor District Library, Ann Arbor, Michigan
    Event Link

 

Join us as we celebrate the resilience and creativity of Ukrainian writers. Their voices reflect the spirit of a nation overcoming adversity, and your participation in these events amplifies that message. For a complete list of appearances and to learn more about our writers, please explore the links provided.

Don’t Miss – Intercepted at Film Forum Until October 10, 2024

Published: October 8, 2024   

“At once subtle and blunt… [Intercepted shows] the awful intimacy of the war in Ukraine” – The New York Times

Razom Cinema’s grantee, a critically acclaimed documentary Intercepted launched their American theatrical release with a Film Forum series of screenings this past Saturday, October 5th. 

Our Cinema Impact Producer, Polina Buchak, had the pleasure of moderating a Q&A with the award-winning director Oksana Karpovych in the iconic Film Forum theater. The evening featured a screening of Intercepted, a powerfully crafted documentary providing a visceral account of the full-scale Russian invasion by exposing the intercepted phone calls made by Russian soldiers to their families from Ukraine.

Film Forum is renowned for its legacy of excellent film programming, which has lasted for more than half a century. The Razom Cinema team was elated to be part of the program, made even more meaningful in light of our prior support of its premiere at the prestigious “New Directors/New Films” in New York.

Thank you to everyone who attended and presented your questions to the director. If you have yet to see this new Ukrainian documentary, head over to https://filmforum.org/film/intercepted to plan your visit. Don’t forget to use our promo code RAZOMXFF

Intercepted by Oksana Kaprovych is playing at Film Forum in NYC now through October 10th.

Photos: Dinara Khairova

Impact of “20 Days in Mariupol” Across U.S. Campuses

Published: September 6, 2024   

In the lead-up to its historic Oscar win in 2024, 20 Days in Mariupol garnered remarkable support from Razom Connect, specifically through its Razom Cinema and Ukraine on Campus projects. Partnering with PBS Distribution, we successfully distributed 50 DVDs of this poignant film to universities across the United States. This initiative not only broadened the film’s reach but also ensured its lasting impact through donations to campus libraries.

The screenings of 20 Days in Mariupol extended beyond the university campuses where they were held, igniting a wave of empathy and activism. This powerful documentary, directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov, became a tool for profound reflection on the human experience during crises. Through these screenings, art demonstrated its transformative power to foster understanding, compassion, and hope amid adversity.

We also provided a screening toolkit to aid participants in planning and promoting their events. This toolkit included pre-made graphics and suggested captions for social media to amplify the impact of the film.

Event Highlights:

  • Harvard University: Featured Mariupol survivor Alina Beskrovna, who brought artifacts from the war, offering students a tangible connection to the devastation.
  • Montclair State University: Hosted a discussion with Michael Levdanski and Marianna Tretiak, providing insights from those actively aiding Ukraine.
  • University of Wisconsin: Led by student Anna Kovalchuk, focused on personal connections to the war and its impact on the university community.
  • University of Minnesota: Included survivors and Consul General Beth Richardson. Artem, a 17-year-old Mariupol survivor featured in the film, spoke to a large audience about his experiences.
  • City College of New York: Partnered with The Documentary Forum for a high-attendance screening, featuring influential cultural activist Daria Kolomiec.

The response from students was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed deep emotional reactions and gained a more meaningful understanding of the war. The film effectively challenged false narratives and provided a sobering view of life during war, inspiring empathy and connection across all 50 campuses.

Impact Report from DVD distribution to University campuses

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RAZOM CINEMA GRANT REPORT: OKSANA KARPOVYCH’S “INTERCEPTED” –  NEW DIRECTORS NEW FILMS 2024

Published: August 29, 2024   

Having traveled around the world, collecting international awards along the way, Razom Cinema grantee “Intercepted” has come home for its theatrical release this August. A hearty congratulations to the Oksana and the whole film team with this accomplishment! With this in mind, let’s take it back to the beginning. 

For the past 53 years, the Film at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) have brought together a program of films and filmmakers who speak to the present and anticipate the future of cinema – those who push the envelope in unexpected, striking ways. This is done under the auspices of the New Directors New Films (N/D) festival. In  recent years, Ukrainian films started to populate the N/D line up and it’s no surprise to see groundbreaking films like “Stop Zemlia”, “Pamfir”, and now “Intercepted” take their well deserved spots as alumni of the festival.

Right to left: Polina Buchak (Lead of Razom Cinema), Oksana Karpovych (Director), Olha Beshkmelnytsina (Producer), Olesia Onykiienko (Composer)

For the North American premiere, Razom Cinema supported the “Intercepted” film team to bring director Oksana Karpovych, producer Olha Beshkmelnytsina, and composer Olesia Onykiienko to the premiere screening. For a film that exposes so much and reflects on the Russian imperial behavior with its complete disregard for civilian lives, it’s important to have the filmmakers be there to guide the audiences through thoughts and questions. 

Since February 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine has intercepted and recorded thousands of phone calls made between Russian soldiers on the front line in Ukraine, to their family and relatives. Those phone calls were made public to expose the true mentality of those on Ukrainian land, committing war crimes. After reviewing hours of these calls, Oksana and her team came up with what now is an award-winning documentary “Intercepted” – a photojournalistic and audibly heavy report of what has happened in Ukraine.

If you weren’t able to catch the screening, make sure to listen in to the discussion with Oksana Karpovych at New Directors New Films. 

Following the successful screening in New York, the “Intercepted” team was able to engage with various media and received several positive reviews from the likes of  IndieWire, Variety, Filmmaker Magazine, and others. We look forward to seeing just how far the film will go in the coming fall, so keep an eye out for it!

Razom Cinema aims to promote and celebrate the vibrancy of Ukrainian voices and assure a strong representation of Ukraine on various important stages. From grants, partnerships, and programming, we unlock possibilities such as the ones listed above – bring Ukrainian creators to important spaces to meet, partner, and do with international talent.

Thank you to our donors who made this possible, and everyone who supports Razom.

RAZOM CINEMA CELEBRATES THE THEATRICAL RELEASE OF “RULE OF TWO WALLS”

Published: August 21, 2024   

Working with Razom Cinema’s Polina Buchak has been one of the most gratifying parts of the journey of making this film. The support and advocacy for our project has been nothing short of inspiring. The dream of every filmmaker is to reach as wide an audience as possible, and Razom has helped us immeasurably to connect with both Ukrainian and American audiences globally. Our film quite simply would not have been as successful had it not been for our partnership with Polina and the whole heroic team at Razom. Дуже дякую, Слава Україні!

– Director David Gutnik

Together with DCTV Firehouse, Razom Cinema celebrated the theatrical release of an award-winning documentary “Rule of Two Walls” directed by David Gutnik. Previously, Razom Cinema awarded the film team  a grant to support their World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival 2023. With this support, in part, the team was able to bring several cast (artists featured in the documentary) and crew members to assure a strong Ukrainian representation at the festival (and industry events), as well as allow the U.S. audience to hear first hand stories from the creators. 

Premiere screening at the Tribeca Film Festival 2023. From left to right: Volodymyr Ivanov (DP), David Gutnik (director), Olha Beskhmelnitsyna (producer), Bob Basset (featured artist), Mikhail Zakutskyi (sound recordist), Lyana Mytsko (featured artist), Stepan Burban (featured artist), Bohdana Davydiuk (featured artist), Andrew Orkin (music composer).

Many of our Razom friends and those who have been following Ukrainian cinema  joined us at the opening night event on August 16, 2024. It was a moving night with lots of insightful conversations about the power that art holds when it comes to resistance, resilience, and reclaiming the Ukrainian identity that for years has been suppressed and hidden. This documentary, with executive producer Liev Schreiber, explores the war in Ukraine through the lens of artists living and creating amid utter destruction. Blurring the lines between what is happening in front of the cameras and behind, the film probes what it means to make cinema in a time of war. 

If you happen to have missed the opening night discussion, you still have a chance to catch the closing night screening on August 22nd at 7:00 PM EDT at the DCTV Firehouse. In case you are tuning in outside of NYC, here’s a short recap of the discussion!

Razom Cinema aims to promote and celebrate the vibrancy of Ukrainian voices and assure a strong representation of Ukraine on various important stages. From grants, partnerships, and programming, we unlock possibilities such as the ones listed above – bring Ukrainian creators to important spaces to meet, partner, and do with international talent.

Thank you to our donors who made this possible, and everyone who supports Razom.

From Berlinale to Cannes – Razom Cinema Grant Report: Tetiana Khodakivska “The Blue Sweater with a Yellow Hole”

Published: August 9, 2024   

“THANK YOU,

You can not imagine how much impact this grant has brought for our project
“The Blue Sweater with a Yellow Hole”

– Tetiana Khodakivska’s note

With the recent news from the Sundance Institute announcing their 2024 Documentary Fund Grantees, Razom Cinema congratulates Tetiana Khodakivska and her team for being part of the selected group. This important documentary highlights stories of Ukrainian children Kira, Taisa, and Artem as they paint their memories about time in Russian ‘re-education’ camps. In honor of this news, Razom Cinema wants to highlight the achievements of the grant that was provided to the film’s team to attend the industry events at Berlinale, CPH:DOX, and Cannes Doc festivals. 

The Razom Travel Grant helped present “The Blue Sweater with a Yellow Hole” documentary  in development at three events:

  • Berlinale, Berlin International Film Festival
  • CPH:DOX
  • Marché du Film, Cannes Doc

Thanks to the grant, the team secured a sale-agent, found an Executive Producer, co-production in two European countries, received one $12,000 Grant and applied for three more grants overall for $200,000. The filmmakers also have found the fiscal sponsor for the project that brings further opportunity for funding of the film to bring it to completion. 

  • Berlinale, Berlin International Film Festival

During Berlinale, the director participated in an advocacy event organized by Terre Des Hommes, a children’s rights organization, where she discussed the issue of children’s deportation and indoctrination in front of 500 people and presented a 3-minute video. Since the event focused on the rights of young people, it was an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about the ongoing issue of children’s deportation and indoctrination. Among the meetings at the Berlinale Market, the most successful one was with a representative from CAT&Docs Sales, which led to a deal memo with this sales company.

  • CPH:DOX

During CPH:Forum, the documentary was selected for a pitch in front of 2,000 industry representatives.  Over the following two days, the team had 15 meetings with broadcasters, impact strategists, potential co-producers, and funds such as the Swedish Film Institute, Finnish Film Foundation, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and representatives from Berlinale, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Points North Institute. During that time, they also engaged with potential advocacy event partners like Artist Moving Image and Kunsthal Charlottenborg, while sharing their story with The Guardian and The New York Times.

A meeting with Catapult Film Fund resulted in an invitation to apply for their grant, which is currently being considered.). The most successful meeting was with Impact Partners Fund, where the team was invited to submit a grant application for $150,000.

Another great meeting was with Women Make Movies (WMM), which, among other activities, represents projects as a fiscal sponsor for selected films. Although they were initially skeptical, having seen many Ukrainian projects in recent years, the meeting was very positive. They understood the project’s importance, and the film team is currently signing a contract with WMM. Other connections resulted in securing a $35,000 grant from the Elsa & Peter Soderberg Charitable Foundation, which only works through a fiscal sponsor. 

One of the meetings resulted in new members joining the documentary team. Jane Mote was invited to be the team’s fundraising producer, as she was deeply moved by the story and truly wants to help spread awareness about Ukraine and the unlawful relocation of children. Jane works as a consultant for The Whickers Fund and knows many inspiring people with whom the team hopes to collaborate.

  • Marché du Film, Cannes Doc

Marché du Film selected the documentary for the spotlight section at the festival, organizing and curating one-on-one and group meetings for the team throughout the week. The Razom Cinema grant enabled the director and producer to both attend. Tetiana also won the Producer’s Network Badge and participated in the Producer’s Network activities, which were very beneficial for making industry connections. Additionally, she was selected to give an inspirational speech during the morning boost program.

The team met with the programmer of the Movies That Matter Festival, which specializes in impact-oriented films, the market manager of IDFA, One World International Human Rights Festival, and the head of Industry at Visions du Réel. All were impressed with the documentary and connected the team with their fund, to which the filmmakers have since applied . Additionally, the team met with Al Jazeera Documentary Channel, the programmer of the Sundance Film Festival, and the head of Industry at Ji.Hlava IDFF. In Cannes, the team had a meeting with an IMS (International Media Support) representative, resulting in a $12,000 grant.

Razom Cinema aims to promote and celebrate the vibrancy of Ukrainian voices and assure a strong representation of Ukraine at various industry events. Our travel grants unlock possibilities such as the ones listed above – bring Ukrainian creators to important spaces to meet, partner, and do with international talent.

Thank you to our donors who made this possible, and everyone who supports Razom.

 

Learn more about Razom efforts on the cultural diplomacy front within our Razom Culture project.

Razom Cinema and the Ukrainian Museum Host a Night of Ukrainian Queer Short Films in Partnership with Sunny Bunny

Published: August 1, 2024   

Last Friday marked the first collaboration between Razom Cinema, Sunny Bunny LGBTQIA+ film festival, and the Ukrainian Museum in New York City. A diverse crowd of all ages visited the museum for a special inaugural screening of the Ukrainian Queer Shorts film program.

The event showcased six Ukrainian short films, each portraying the unique experiences of queer communities in Ukraine. From a short documentary on the non-binary experience of a Crimean-Tatar serving in the Ukrainian army to an intimate portrayal of young lesbian love in Kyiv, the program aimed to provide a snapshot of queerness in times of war. Among the featured directors were Kateryna Khramtsova, Yelyzaveta Sherstnyova, Olia Koval, Anzhelika Ustymenko, Zoya Laktionova, Anton Shebetko, and Olena Siyatovska.

The Razom Cinema Impact Producer, Polina Buchak, and the Development Coordinator at The Ukrainian Museum, Maryna Prykhodko, introduced the event, highlighting the need for the representation of Ukrainian queerness in the arts. They also emphasized the program’s connection with the ongoing Peter Hujar: Rialto exhibition at the Museum.

In addition to the screening, the audience experienced a pre-recorded moderated conversation between Bohdan Zhuk, Director of Sunny Bunny, and Nick McCarthy, Director of Programming at NYC-based NewFest. Zhuk and McCarthy discussed the artistry of the chosen films and contextualized them in Ukrainian queer past and future, sharing their experiences leading LGBTQIA+ festivals in Kyiv and NYC. Zhuk also recommended three, must-watch Ukrainian films with LGBTQIA+ themes and underscored the need for advancing Ukrainian Queer studies research. The conversation is available on our YouTube platform – we highly recommend you check it out!

Thank you to the filmmakers featured in the program, to our volunteers who made the event possible, and everyone who came to support this initiative.

We are excited to have had the opportunity to work with The Ukrainian Museum and look forward to future events together.

Photos by Polly Chesnokova.

Make sure to follow our newsletter and social media for more announcements! 

 

 

Learn more about Razom efforts on the cultural diplomacy front within our Razom Culture project.