European film festivals to promote Ukrainian cinema in response to Russian invasion

A number of European film festivals have stepped in to show their support for Ukraine by promoting Ukrainian cinema.

Nearly two weeks after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a full-scale invasion of its neighbouring country, Europe’s film industry has grappled with ways to show its solidarity with Ukraine.

Some film festivals, including Glasgow Film Festival and Stockholm International Film Festival, have boycotted films funded by Russia. Others, such as Cannes and Venice, have decided to ban official delegations, rather than Russian films and directors outright.

Despite each festival’s differing method, the increase in visibility of Ukrainian cinema has seemingly become a unanimous decision.

On Monday (7 March), in collaboration with the Venice Film Festival, Rome’s Cinema Troisi held a free screening of Ukrainian director Valentyn Vasnovych’s Reflection – a film set during the 2014 Donbas war, in eastern Ukraine.

“The most important thing we can do right now is help audiences learn more about the films that have come out of Ukraine in recent years, since there is so much false information going around,” Giorgio Gosetti, the general delegate of Venice Days told Variety.

While expressing solidarity with Ukraine is easy, Gosetti added the challenge has been “figuring out what we can do in more concrete terms”.

Following suit, Switzerland’s Visions du Réel announced on Tuesday (8 March) that four films directed and/or produced in Ukraine would be included in the April festival.

Additionally, during last month’s Berlin Film Festival, two Ukrainian films – Terykony and Klondike – were featured.

Berlin co-chiefs Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian said: “There will be for sure more chances to support the film industry and artists in Ukraine in the near future, and we will always keep our eyes on the needs that may come out from our friends in Ukraine.”

Ukraine’s capital Kyiv is home to The Dovzhenko Film Center, the state’s largest film archive, containing more than 7,000 Ukrainian, European, North American, and Russian movies.

The Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland shared a statement on Twitter regarding the archives: “Today the stories kept there are at risk. And like them, those in Ukraine who want to write, shoot and produce new films are at risk.”

Markus Duffner, Locarno’s chief added: “This is a patrimony that can be lost.”

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