SPACE Production reposted this
Founder, CEO at SPACE Production and Distribution Co-founder at Organisation of Ukrainian Producers (OUP)
On August 24, Ukraine celebrates Independence Day. Today, members of the film and television industries are actively involved in the defense of the country: some have taken up arms instead of cameras, others have become volunteers. And some act as the voice of our nation on international art platforms. For example, Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk, the director of "Pamfir," used his presence at the European Film Awards 2022 to call for the release of Ukrainian journalist and soldier Maksym Butkevych from Russian captivity. Today, with amazement and pride, we are rediscovering our cultural memory. We remind ourselves that Ukrainian art, and cinema in particular, has preserved our cultural code for centuries, even when we had no opportunities to speak about our statehood. From 1893, when Ukrainian engineer Yosyp Tymchenko created the "kinescope," to the pioneers of cinematic language like Oleksandr Dovzhenko and Serhiy Parajanov, who brought Ukrainian cinema to the global stage. With the achievement of our state independence in 1991, we entered a new historical period. During this time, Ukrainian cinema has experienced both declines—when the market was drowning in total Russification—and rises, when independent studios began to emerge one after another. Ukrainian films made a loud statement at international festivals. Stepan Koval's "Tram #9" won the Silver Bear in Berlin, and Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi's "The Tribe" won several awards in Cannes. The voices of Ukrainian filmmakers have been increasingly heard on the global art scene. The Revolution of Dignity, the Russian occupation of Crimea and parts of Donbas, the full-scale war—Ukrainian cinema captures and preserves all the most challenging milestones of our history, records every step, offers solace, understanding, and artistic reflection. Another year of celebrating Ukraine's Independence Day is a wonderful opportunity to once again reflect on the journey of our national cinema. It is the path of people who, against all odds, in any era, remain committed to their mission: telling stories that give us the strength to stay courageous and resilient. SPACE Production Kateryna Laskari #MakeUkrainianIdentityBloom
