Ukrainian Film Festival in Berlin

Ukrainian Film Festival is showing a variety of feature films and documentaries on contemporary Ukraine and on the war this weekend in Berlin.

Dear all,

Ukrainian Film Festival (UFF) in Berlin is starting tonight and presenting remarkable movies, that you should not miss. Many of the movies shown in the festival were produced before the russian full scale invasion started. The movies together show a broad picture of contemporary Ukraine: not only do they cover the war, but also tell moving stories of families, about activism and other topics. Apart from four fiction films, four documentaries and two screenings of short films, you can learn more about Ukrainian cinema in two panel discussions. More on the program, schedule and purchase of tickets on UFF’s homepage.

Maksym Nakonechnyi: Butterfly Vision (2022)

What awaits a female soldier after being captured by the enemy for two months? Lilia, a Ukrainian soldier, is welcomed like a hero when returning home after russian captivity. But the positive responses quickly change into anger, aggression and suspicion. At the same time, Lilia has to deal with the consequences of captivity: not only does she have to cope with the traumatic events. Also, her fear proves itself to be true: she is pregnant after being raped by a prison guard. Butterfly Vision is multilayer piece of art, uncovering the troubling fate of a woman in war, a female soldier who, after all that happened, seems to be the only one in her life not loosing control.

📽 Screenings: Wednesday, 26th of October at Colosseum; Thursday, 27th of October at Sputnik.

Ihor Ivanko: Fragile Memory (2022)

Inside the dusty garage, filmmaker Ihor Ivanko finds an extraordinary film archive. It’s that of a time gone by as seen through the lense of his childhood hero: his grandpa Leonid. The documentary FRAGILE MEMORY is a tender and intimate portrayal of generational bonding and an homage to remembrance. “Look, Lyonya, how much strength was in you” says Ihor’s grandma as they browse through some photos of themselves in the past. Now, both Leonid’s mind’s eye and his left eye, the one he used to operate the camera as a renowned Soviet cinematographer, are deteriorating; and so are the increasingly blurry film rolls of his photos. If Ihor cannot save his grandfather from the inevitability of old age and memory loss, then he will make sure to preserve a tangible expression of his life: his films and photos. Premiering in 2022, this beautifully co-created world of patchwork imagery manages to emulate the sometimes chaotic progression inside our minds when we remember.

📽 Screenings: Friday, 28th of October at Colosseum; Saturday, 29th of October at Sputnik.

Text written by Sofia Insua, whose work you can explore here.

Valentyn Vasyanovych: Reflection (2021)

Valentyn Vasyanovych, known for his attention to detail and affinity for symbolism, once again creates a cinematic masterpiece in Reflection. The film follows Serhiy, a surgeon, who enlists in the 2014 war in Donbas. He gets captured and is forced to endure and witness unspeakable horrors. At its core, Reflection tackles a story about the human experience of war and trauma. When Serhiy is finally released, the film follows his struggle to adjust to his old life once again. The symbolism  simultaneously creates a parallel and a divide between Serhiy’s life in captivity and his life back home. Symmetrical staging creates compelling visuals while prolonged static wide shots challenge the audience yet make it impossible to look away.

📽 Screenings: Friday, 28th of October at Sputnik; Sunday, 30th of October at Colosseum.

Text written by Dina Abedini, you can learn more about her here.

Apart from the movies listed above, you’ll have the chance to see Klondike, which is Ukraine’s entry for the Oscars in 2023 and Pamfir, a popular movie about a family father and family relations exploring the life in Bukovina. Also, you can see three more documentaries: One Day in Ukraine covering the war experience of Kyivans, Diary of a Bride of Christ about a young woman trying to understand why her sister decided to become a nun and Infinity according to Florian on urban activism.

Thank you for reading until the end. Let me know, whether I’ll see you around at the film festival. Stay tuned for more updates on culture and cinema from Central and Eastern Europe in the coming weeks.

Lots of love

From Julia’s Desk