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Side by Side, Ukrainian Institute London’s fourth annual Ukrainian Film Festival will present 5 screenings of feature, documentary, and short films, with each film providing a window into life in contemporary Ukraine, the astonishing resilience of its people, and the power of mutual support and solidarity in the face of war.
This year’s programme foregrounds themes of humanity and compassion in the darkest of times, the strength of the human spirit in simple things, and the warmth of love in contexts such as war, where it wouldn’t seem to exist. With this programme, we will invite audiences to stand in solidarity with Ukraine and discover the country’s brave, innovative cinema.
The 2023 Ukrainian Film Festival is curated by the Ukrainian Institute London’s Film Festival Fellow Olga Sidorushkina and is supported by British Land, SAY Property, Principle Clean, HUB, Novotel, Paddington and Jaguar Building Services.
Discounted £12 tickets for displaced Ukrainians and UIL friends. Email info@ukrainianinstitute.org.uk to receive the discount code.
14 September 2023 | 6:20pm
17 September 2023 | 2:40pm
22 September 2023 | 6:30pm
24 September 2023 | 3:00pm
26 September 2023 | 6:50pm
27 September 2023 | 6:30pm
Director: Mstyslav Chernov
Genre: Documentary Year: 2023 Duration: 92 min
Language: English, Ukrainian, and Russian with English subtitles
Age rating: 18+
As the Russian invasion begins, a team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol struggle to continue their work documenting the war’s atrocities. Directed by Pulitzer prize winner Mstyslav Chernov.
Followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
NEW SCREENINGS ADDED 22, 24, 26 & 27 SEPTEMBER.
15 September 2023 | 6:20pm
Director: Maksym Nakonechnyi
Genre: Drama Year: 2022 Duration: 107 min
Language: Ukrainian and Russian with English subtitles
Age rating: 18+
After spending months as a prisoner in Donbas, Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance expert Lilia returns home, but the trauma of captivity continues to torment her and surface in dreamlike ways. A timely testament to the trauma and resilience of women on the Ukrainian frontlines.
Followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
16 September 2023 | 3:00pm
Six selected short films made during 2022-23, exploring the themes of resilience, solidarity and mutual support during the ongoing war.
Peace and Tranquility
Dir. Myro Klochko, Anatoliy Tatarenko, 12mins
I Did Not Want to Make a War Film
Dir. Nadia Parfan, 17mins
Liturgy of Anti-Tank Obstacles
Dir. Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk, 12mins
Chornobyl 22
Dir. Oleksiy Radynski, 22mins
Waking Up in Silence
Dir. Mila Zhluktenko and Daniel Asadi, 18mins
Followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
16 September 2023 | 5:30pm
Director: Iryna Tsilyk
Genre: Coming of age Year: 2022 Duration: 92 min
Language: Ukrainian with English subtitles
10-year-old Tymophii makes an unlikely friend in Felix, an elderly veteran of the Afghan war. A story of tender friendship and growing up during the turbulent 1990s in Ukraine.
Followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
17 September 2023 | 5:00pm
Director: Alisa Kovalenko
Genre: Documentary Year: 2023 Duration: 100 min
Language: Ukrainian and Russian with English subtitles
For five bold Ukrainian teenagers from Donbas, an expedition to the Himalayas provides a brief escape from the reality of the war that has been burning since 2014. A portrait of a generation that, in spite of everything, is able to recognise and celebrate the fragile beauty of life.
Followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and a DJ set by Mingulitka.
