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
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!
