Impact of “20 Days in Mariupol” Across U.S. Campuses

Published: September 6, 2024   

In the lead-up to its historic Oscar win in 2024, 20 Days in Mariupol garnered remarkable support from Razom Connect, specifically through its Razom Cinema and Ukraine on Campus projects. Partnering with PBS Distribution, we successfully distributed 50 DVDs of this poignant film to universities across the United States. This initiative not only broadened the film’s reach but also ensured its lasting impact through donations to campus libraries.

The screenings of 20 Days in Mariupol extended beyond the university campuses where they were held, igniting a wave of empathy and activism. This powerful documentary, directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov, became a tool for profound reflection on the human experience during crises. Through these screenings, art demonstrated its transformative power to foster understanding, compassion, and hope amid adversity.

We also provided a screening toolkit to aid participants in planning and promoting their events. This toolkit included pre-made graphics and suggested captions for social media to amplify the impact of the film.

Event Highlights:

  • Harvard University: Featured Mariupol survivor Alina Beskrovna, who brought artifacts from the war, offering students a tangible connection to the devastation.
  • Montclair State University: Hosted a discussion with Michael Levdanski and Marianna Tretiak, providing insights from those actively aiding Ukraine.
  • University of Wisconsin: Led by student Anna Kovalchuk, focused on personal connections to the war and its impact on the university community.
  • University of Minnesota: Included survivors and Consul General Beth Richardson. Artem, a 17-year-old Mariupol survivor featured in the film, spoke to a large audience about his experiences.
  • City College of New York: Partnered with The Documentary Forum for a high-attendance screening, featuring influential cultural activist Daria Kolomiec.

The response from students was overwhelmingly positive. Many expressed deep emotional reactions and gained a more meaningful understanding of the war. The film effectively challenged false narratives and provided a sobering view of life during war, inspiring empathy and connection across all 50 campuses.

Impact Report from DVD distribution to University campuses

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RAZOM CINEMA GRANT REPORT: OKSANA KARPOVYCH’S “INTERCEPTED” –  NEW DIRECTORS NEW FILMS 2024

Published: August 29, 2024   

Having traveled around the world, collecting international awards along the way, Razom Cinema grantee “Intercepted” has come home for its theatrical release this August. A hearty congratulations to the Oksana and the whole film team with this accomplishment! With this in mind, let’s take it back to the beginning. 

For the past 53 years, the Film at Lincoln Center and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) have brought together a program of films and filmmakers who speak to the present and anticipate the future of cinema – those who push the envelope in unexpected, striking ways. This is done under the auspices of the New Directors New Films (N/D) festival. In  recent years, Ukrainian films started to populate the N/D line up and it’s no surprise to see groundbreaking films like “Stop Zemlia”, “Pamfir”, and now “Intercepted” take their well deserved spots as alumni of the festival.

Right to left: Polina Buchak (Lead of Razom Cinema), Oksana Karpovych (Director), Olha Beshkmelnytsina (Producer), Olesia Onykiienko (Composer)

For the North American premiere, Razom Cinema supported the “Intercepted” film team to bring director Oksana Karpovych, producer Olha Beshkmelnytsina, and composer Olesia Onykiienko to the premiere screening. For a film that exposes so much and reflects on the Russian imperial behavior with its complete disregard for civilian lives, it’s important to have the filmmakers be there to guide the audiences through thoughts and questions. 

Since February 2022, the Security Service of Ukraine has intercepted and recorded thousands of phone calls made between Russian soldiers on the front line in Ukraine, to their family and relatives. Those phone calls were made public to expose the true mentality of those on Ukrainian land, committing war crimes. After reviewing hours of these calls, Oksana and her team came up with what now is an award-winning documentary “Intercepted” – a photojournalistic and audibly heavy report of what has happened in Ukraine.

If you weren’t able to catch the screening, make sure to listen in to the discussion with Oksana Karpovych at New Directors New Films. 

Following the successful screening in New York, the “Intercepted” team was able to engage with various media and received several positive reviews from the likes of  IndieWire, Variety, Filmmaker Magazine, and others. We look forward to seeing just how far the film will go in the coming fall, so keep an eye out for it!

Razom Cinema aims to promote and celebrate the vibrancy of Ukrainian voices and assure a strong representation of Ukraine on various important stages. From grants, partnerships, and programming, we unlock possibilities such as the ones listed above – bring Ukrainian creators to important spaces to meet, partner, and do with international talent.

Thank you to our donors who made this possible, and everyone who supports Razom.

RAZOM CINEMA CELEBRATES THE THEATRICAL RELEASE OF “RULE OF TWO WALLS”

Published: August 21, 2024   

Working with Razom Cinema’s Polina Buchak has been one of the most gratifying parts of the journey of making this film. The support and advocacy for our project has been nothing short of inspiring. The dream of every filmmaker is to reach as wide an audience as possible, and Razom has helped us immeasurably to connect with both Ukrainian and American audiences globally. Our film quite simply would not have been as successful had it not been for our partnership with Polina and the whole heroic team at Razom. Дуже дякую, Слава Україні!

– Director David Gutnik

Together with DCTV Firehouse, Razom Cinema celebrated the theatrical release of an award-winning documentary “Rule of Two Walls” directed by David Gutnik. Previously, Razom Cinema awarded the film team  a grant to support their World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival 2023. With this support, in part, the team was able to bring several cast (artists featured in the documentary) and crew members to assure a strong Ukrainian representation at the festival (and industry events), as well as allow the U.S. audience to hear first hand stories from the creators. 

Premiere screening at the Tribeca Film Festival 2023. From left to right: Volodymyr Ivanov (DP), David Gutnik (director), Olha Beskhmelnitsyna (producer), Bob Basset (featured artist), Mikhail Zakutskyi (sound recordist), Lyana Mytsko (featured artist), Stepan Burban (featured artist), Bohdana Davydiuk (featured artist), Andrew Orkin (music composer).

Many of our Razom friends and those who have been following Ukrainian cinema  joined us at the opening night event on August 16, 2024. It was a moving night with lots of insightful conversations about the power that art holds when it comes to resistance, resilience, and reclaiming the Ukrainian identity that for years has been suppressed and hidden. This documentary, with executive producer Liev Schreiber, explores the war in Ukraine through the lens of artists living and creating amid utter destruction. Blurring the lines between what is happening in front of the cameras and behind, the film probes what it means to make cinema in a time of war. 

If you happen to have missed the opening night discussion, you still have a chance to catch the closing night screening on August 22nd at 7:00 PM EDT at the DCTV Firehouse. In case you are tuning in outside of NYC, here’s a short recap of the discussion!

Razom Cinema aims to promote and celebrate the vibrancy of Ukrainian voices and assure a strong representation of Ukraine on various important stages. From grants, partnerships, and programming, we unlock possibilities such as the ones listed above – bring Ukrainian creators to important spaces to meet, partner, and do with international talent.

Thank you to our donors who made this possible, and everyone who supports Razom.

From Berlinale to Cannes – Razom Cinema Grant Report: Tetiana Khodakivska “The Blue Sweater with a Yellow Hole”

Published: August 9, 2024   

“THANK YOU,

You can not imagine how much impact this grant has brought for our project
“The Blue Sweater with a Yellow Hole”

– Tetiana Khodakivska’s note

With the recent news from the Sundance Institute announcing their 2024 Documentary Fund Grantees, Razom Cinema congratulates Tetiana Khodakivska and her team for being part of the selected group. This important documentary highlights stories of Ukrainian children Kira, Taisa, and Artem as they paint their memories about time in Russian ‘re-education’ camps. In honor of this news, Razom Cinema wants to highlight the achievements of the grant that was provided to the film’s team to attend the industry events at Berlinale, CPH:DOX, and Cannes Doc festivals. 

The Razom Travel Grant helped present “The Blue Sweater with a Yellow Hole” documentary  in development at three events:

  • Berlinale, Berlin International Film Festival
  • CPH:DOX
  • Marché du Film, Cannes Doc

Thanks to the grant, the team secured a sale-agent, found an Executive Producer, co-production in two European countries, received one $12,000 Grant and applied for three more grants overall for $200,000. The filmmakers also have found the fiscal sponsor for the project that brings further opportunity for funding of the film to bring it to completion. 

  • Berlinale, Berlin International Film Festival

During Berlinale, the director participated in an advocacy event organized by Terre Des Hommes, a children’s rights organization, where she discussed the issue of children’s deportation and indoctrination in front of 500 people and presented a 3-minute video. Since the event focused on the rights of young people, it was an excellent opportunity to raise awareness about the ongoing issue of children’s deportation and indoctrination. Among the meetings at the Berlinale Market, the most successful one was with a representative from CAT&Docs Sales, which led to a deal memo with this sales company.

  • CPH:DOX

During CPH:Forum, the documentary was selected for a pitch in front of 2,000 industry representatives.  Over the following two days, the team had 15 meetings with broadcasters, impact strategists, potential co-producers, and funds such as the Swedish Film Institute, Finnish Film Foundation, Chicken & Egg Pictures, and representatives from Berlinale, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Points North Institute. During that time, they also engaged with potential advocacy event partners like Artist Moving Image and Kunsthal Charlottenborg, while sharing their story with The Guardian and The New York Times.

A meeting with Catapult Film Fund resulted in an invitation to apply for their grant, which is currently being considered.). The most successful meeting was with Impact Partners Fund, where the team was invited to submit a grant application for $150,000.

Another great meeting was with Women Make Movies (WMM), which, among other activities, represents projects as a fiscal sponsor for selected films. Although they were initially skeptical, having seen many Ukrainian projects in recent years, the meeting was very positive. They understood the project’s importance, and the film team is currently signing a contract with WMM. Other connections resulted in securing a $35,000 grant from the Elsa & Peter Soderberg Charitable Foundation, which only works through a fiscal sponsor. 

One of the meetings resulted in new members joining the documentary team. Jane Mote was invited to be the team’s fundraising producer, as she was deeply moved by the story and truly wants to help spread awareness about Ukraine and the unlawful relocation of children. Jane works as a consultant for The Whickers Fund and knows many inspiring people with whom the team hopes to collaborate.

  • Marché du Film, Cannes Doc

Marché du Film selected the documentary for the spotlight section at the festival, organizing and curating one-on-one and group meetings for the team throughout the week. The Razom Cinema grant enabled the director and producer to both attend. Tetiana also won the Producer’s Network Badge and participated in the Producer’s Network activities, which were very beneficial for making industry connections. Additionally, she was selected to give an inspirational speech during the morning boost program.

The team met with the programmer of the Movies That Matter Festival, which specializes in impact-oriented films, the market manager of IDFA, One World International Human Rights Festival, and the head of Industry at Visions du Réel. All were impressed with the documentary and connected the team with their fund, to which the filmmakers have since applied . Additionally, the team met with Al Jazeera Documentary Channel, the programmer of the Sundance Film Festival, and the head of Industry at Ji.Hlava IDFF. In Cannes, the team had a meeting with an IMS (International Media Support) representative, resulting in a $12,000 grant.

Razom Cinema aims to promote and celebrate the vibrancy of Ukrainian voices and assure a strong representation of Ukraine at various industry events. Our travel grants unlock possibilities such as the ones listed above – bring Ukrainian creators to important spaces to meet, partner, and do with international talent.

Thank you to our donors who made this possible, and everyone who supports Razom.

 

Learn more about Razom efforts on the cultural diplomacy front within our Razom Culture project.

Razom Cinema and the Ukrainian Museum Host a Night of Ukrainian Queer Short Films in Partnership with Sunny Bunny

Published: August 1, 2024   

Last Friday marked the first collaboration between Razom Cinema, Sunny Bunny LGBTQIA+ film festival, and the Ukrainian Museum in New York City. A diverse crowd of all ages visited the museum for a special inaugural screening of the Ukrainian Queer Shorts film program.

The event showcased six Ukrainian short films, each portraying the unique experiences of queer communities in Ukraine. From a short documentary on the non-binary experience of a Crimean-Tatar serving in the Ukrainian army to an intimate portrayal of young lesbian love in Kyiv, the program aimed to provide a snapshot of queerness in times of war. Among the featured directors were Kateryna Khramtsova, Yelyzaveta Sherstnyova, Olia Koval, Anzhelika Ustymenko, Zoya Laktionova, Anton Shebetko, and Olena Siyatovska.

The Razom Cinema Impact Producer, Polina Buchak, and the Development Coordinator at The Ukrainian Museum, Maryna Prykhodko, introduced the event, highlighting the need for the representation of Ukrainian queerness in the arts. They also emphasized the program’s connection with the ongoing Peter Hujar: Rialto exhibition at the Museum.

In addition to the screening, the audience experienced a pre-recorded moderated conversation between Bohdan Zhuk, Director of Sunny Bunny, and Nick McCarthy, Director of Programming at NYC-based NewFest. Zhuk and McCarthy discussed the artistry of the chosen films and contextualized them in Ukrainian queer past and future, sharing their experiences leading LGBTQIA+ festivals in Kyiv and NYC. Zhuk also recommended three, must-watch Ukrainian films with LGBTQIA+ themes and underscored the need for advancing Ukrainian Queer studies research. The conversation is available on our YouTube platform – we highly recommend you check it out!

Thank you to the filmmakers featured in the program, to our volunteers who made the event possible, and everyone who came to support this initiative.

We are excited to have had the opportunity to work with The Ukrainian Museum and look forward to future events together.

Photos by Polly Chesnokova.

Make sure to follow our newsletter and social media for more announcements! 

 

 

Learn more about Razom efforts on the cultural diplomacy front within our Razom Culture project.

Cleveland International Film Festival Guide: Through Ukrainian Eyes

Published: March 16, 2024   

Film festival season is well underway, and Razom Cinema is keeping a close eye on what’s being programmed. The Sundance Film Festival brought another win for a Ukrainian story – the documentary Porcelain War directed by Slava Leontyev and Brendan Bellomo took home the Grand Jury Prize for Documentary Feature. The film is coming to the Cleveland International Film Festival (CIFF) and will be screening together with other stories focused on the ongoing war in Ukraine as well as narrative cinema in a program called Ukrainian Cinema. CIFF 2024 will take place in Cleveland, OH from April 3-13, with CIFF streams available April 14-21. 

This program also includes Razom Cinema grantee Rule of Two Walls directed by David Gutnik and produced by Olha Beskhmelnytsina! It is incredible to see Ukrainian cinema be celebrated at international film festivals and we are excited to share our Festival Guide: Through Ukrainian Eyes ClFF 2024 edition. Good news – if you are not able to catch them in Cleveland in person, you can tune in online through CIFF Streams. Here’s what we’ve got:

Rule of Two Walls 

In-person: Sat April 6 | KeyBank State Theater

Online: April 14 – 21

In this harsh but elucidating doc, UkrainianAmerican filmmaker David Gunik trains his camera on the Ukrainian artists who have chosen to stay behind as Russia’s invasion rages on around them. By making their art, they hope to protect their embattled country’s own artistic culture, no matter how many bombs drop around them.

 

Defiant

In-person: Fri April 5 | Upper Allen Theater

                Tue April 9 | Upper Allen Theater

Online: April 14 – 21

There’s more than one way to fight a war. Witness the ongoing invasion of Ukraine from inside the battle-torn country’s administration through such officials as the Minister Of Foreign Affairs, the Vice Prime Minister, and the nation’s lead negotiator, as they attempt to broker peace.



Athletes of War

In-person: Wed April 10 | Mimi Ohio Theater

Online: April 14 – 21

How does one fight for the gold when an endless war has taken away a generation of competitors and destroyed their facilities? Meet the dwindling number of Ukrainian athletes as they prepare for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, while trying to survive Russia’s violent invasion of their country.

 

Porcelain War

In-person: Fri April 12 | Allen Theater

As the Russia-Ukraine war rages mere miles away, Kharkiv-based husband and wife team Slava Leontyev and Anya Stasenko make tiny porcelain figurines. What does it mean to continue with their artistic passions as the world crumbles around them? Winner of the Documentary Grand Jury Prize at Sundance 2024.

 

Forever – Forever 

In-person: Fri April 12 | Mimi Ohio Theater

Online: April 14 – 21

Will you survive if nobody loves you? Get an uncompromising glimpse of troubled adolescent life in post-Communist Kyiv through Tonia, the new kid in school, as she tries to assimilate into her new world. But as a love triangle starts to form among the clique, will her past catch up with her?

In-person: Wed April 10 | Allen Theater

Online: April 14 – 21

 

I am Coming Home

In a war-torn land, a courageous young woman joins the Ukrainian military forces as a sapper, determined to bring peace by clearing the land where she was born. Her journey defies conventions, showcasing the power of individual bravery amidst the chaos of the war.

Our Ukrainian Sky

An unlikely group of lawyers with no previous humanitarian experience, drive used pickup trucks into an active warzone.

A Day in February 

In another country, separated from her family, one phone call is all Galyna has to ensure their safety.

Blue Skies Over Donetsk

A Ukrainian father delivers stoves to frontline families without power, all while attempting to create normalcy for his children growing up in a war zone.

Claudio’s Song

A young man faces the wrath of a family of criminals that target people who are famous on the internet and extort money from them. When their scheme fails, the plan to kill him takes an unexpected turn.

Berdyans’k 

Lera, a young Ukrainian refugee in Ireland, uses dark web seance software to connect with her sister who has just died on the front line.

Note of Defiance

Filmed in early 2023, on the Ukrainian-Russian border, this short documentary explores two artists’ use of their creativity and art as a means of cultural survival and defiance.

Make sure to follow our newsletter and social media for more announcements! 

Together, we can prove to cultural programmers that Ukrainian stories are necessary and that there is a large audience ready for them.

 

Дивимось і  читаймо Українське Разом!

Learn more about Razom efforts on the cultural diplomacy front within our Razom Culture project.

Uprooted: How Razom and The Kyiv Independent brought stories of abducted Ukrainian children to American cities

Published: March 13, 2024   

In an effort to bring awareness to U.S. audiences about Russian war crimes against the youngest and most vulnerable Ukrainians, Razom recently collaborated with The Kyiv Independent, a leading English-language media outlet in Ukraine. The partnership produced a series of screenings  and panel discussions of their documentary Uprooted, which investigates the illegal abduction and deportation of Ukrainian children from Mariupol by Russia. 

The film tour lasted ten days and covered five cities: New York, Washington D.C., Houston, Austin and Phoenix. During this time, Razom together with its local partners arranged 7 screenings and 4 side events that engaged approximately 500 people around the U.S. in the conversation about this unimaginable war crime. We were honored to have the Kyiv Independent team represented by its CEO Daryna Shevchenko, Head of War Crimes Investigations, Yevheniia Motorevska and War Crime reporter, Olesia Bida. 

The delegation brought with it a very special participant, Ivan Maktkovskyi, a protagonist in the documentary. Ivan was a young person trying to escape Mariupol but was intercepted and forcibly transferred by the occupying forces to Donetsk. Fortunately, Ivan managed to report his location and was returned to Ukraine. However, his peers were taken to Russia against their will. Now, Ivan considers his mission to be that of acting as the voice for those children who were abducted by Russia to help them return to Ukraine.

Screening at Phoenix, Arizona, Ivan’s testimony, photo by Oleksa Martiniouk.

Ivan’s testimony added value to every event and touched everyone who heard his story. 

Experts on the topic contributed to the conversion in each city on the tour.

Screening at Cooper Union, NYC, photo by Olena Kotyk.

In New York, we were joined by a journalist and host of the “Black Diplomat” podcast Terrell Jermaine Starr who explained the Russian invasion of Ukraine through the universal practices of oppression. During the screening at Columbia University, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, Ambassador Serhiy Kyslytsya joined the conversation moderated by Katya Soldak, a journalist at Forbes, to share his experience of working on the crime of child abduction at the U.N.

Screening at Phoenix, Arizona, photo by Katya Pavlevych.
Screening at Georgetown University in Washington DC, photo by Polina Buchak.
Screening at Landmarks E Street Cinema in Washington DC. photo by Polina Buchak.

A writer and executive editor at the Reckoning Project, Peter Pometanzev contributed to the panel in Washington, D.C. by explaining how Russia uses the abduction of children in its propaganda.

Screening at 14 pews in Houston, photo by Katya Pavlevych.

A historian and researcher of former Soviet countries, Kimberly St. Julian-Varnon shared her expertise on the history of Russian colonialism in Ukraine, at an intimate discussion in Houston.

Screening at University of Texas at Austin, photo by Lauren Guillaume.

Nathan Mark Hutson from the LBJ School of Public Affairs and Steven Seegel from the Center for East European, and Eurasian Studies joined the panel at The University of Texas at Austin.

Screening at Arizona State University, Phoenix, photo by Oleksa Martiniouk.

In Phoenix we were honored to have State Congressman David Cook sharing his experience of visiting Ukraine, and a local activist, Orest Jejna. 

Representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine to the United States were able to join the screenings in Washington, D.C., and Houston.

Meeting with the State Department in Washington DC, photo by Katya Pavlevych.

During the tour, the delegation had a chance to meet with the Office of Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal in Washington, D.C., representatives from the State Department, Senator John Cornyn’s Regional Office in Austin, and have a personal meeting with Congresswoman Debbie Lesko in Phoenix.

Meeting with Senator Cornyn Regional Office in Austin, photo by Lauren Guillaume.
Meeting with Congresswoman Jayapal in Washington DC, photo by Katya Pavlevych.

During the meetings, the delegation briefed officials on the issue of the abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia and the appropriate legislative and policy actions that the U.S. can take to help Ukraine. 

Meeting with Congresswoman Lesko in Phoenix, photo by Oleksa Martiniouk.

In addition to the screening, the delegation participated in side events including a closed networking opportunity for journalists and an open house at the Ukrainian Institute of America.

Round table with journalists at the Ukrainian Institute of America, New York, photo by Ihor Martiniouk.

We held meetings with prominent think tanks in Washington, D.C., like the Wilson Center, CEPA and USIP.  In Phoenix, a panel discussion was held at the German-speaking community center, Treffpunkt. Side events allowed the participants to expand their conversation with the public and exchange experiences with their colleagues.

Panel discussion at Treffpunkt, Phoenix, photo by Oleksa Martiniouk.
Meeting with the Wilson Center and CEPA in Washington DC, photo by Katya Pavlevych.

The tour attracted the attention of the local media and resulted in multiple interviews by KXAN, Northeast Valley News, Arizona Central and others. 

Ivan Matkovskyi and Ryan Chandler during the interview for KXAN in Austin, photo by Katya Pavlevych.

A special treat during the tour was Ivan’s meeting with Gilbert Tuhabonye — a survivor of the genocide during the Burundian Civil War, a long-distance runner, and author of This Voice in My Heart: A Runner’s Memoir of Genocide, Faith, and Forgiveness.

Gilbert Tuhabonye and Ivan Matkovskyi in Austin., photo by Lauren Guillaume.

A quick conversation between the two grew into a joint run the next morning in Austin, and inspired Ivan to journal about his experience of abduction. 

The tour increased awareness about the crime of abduction of Ukrainian children by Russia and exposed Russian atrocities in occupied territories as yet another reason to support Ukraine in its fight for freedom. 

This tour would not have been possible without the dedicated Razom team behind it and Razom’s wonderful partners. We would like to thank the following people and organizations for contributing to the organization of the tour:

  • The Cooper Union
  • Ukrainian Institute of America
  • Human Rights Foundation
  • Georgetown University Ukrainian Society
  • Columbia University Ukrainian Club
  • UT Austin School of Journalism and Media, The LBJ School of Public Affairs, The Alexander Hamilton Society, The Strauss Center for International Security and Law, UT Austin Center for East European and Eurasian Studies
  • 14 pews in Houston
  • Cactus & Tryzub
  • Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations
  • Treffpunkt 
  • UNWLA 
  • Houston for Ukraine (HTX4Ukraine)

Special thanks to the Office of Congressman Mike Quigley, Democrat of Illinois.

Feel free to organize screenings of Uprooted in your community. Watch the documentary on Kyiv Independent’s YouTube.

Together, we can demand accountability for stolen childhoods!

Take Action to Help Children Now

Razom Brings to the U.S. Award-Winning Documentary About the Abduction of Ukrainian Children

Published: February 7, 2024   

Razom, along with the Kyiv Independent, will organize panel discussions and screenings of their documentary Uprooted in five American cities.

Uprooted is a documentary about the abduction, deportation and forcible transfer of Ukrainian children by the Russian Federation. The film investigates 30 cases of abduction of Ukrainian children in the occupied city of Mariupol and features interviews with three victims of the crime. It sheds light on the war crimes committed against Ukrainian children and unpacks the complexity of the systemic Russian policy of forcible deportations.  

The War Crimes Investigations Unit of the Kyiv Independent won the National Competition of Journalistic Investigations award for this documentary.

U.S.-based nonprofit Razom for Ukraine will host the creators of the documentary as well as one of its subjects, while in America. The delegation will be represented by: 

  • Daryna Shevhecnko, CEO of the Kyiv Independent
  • Yevheniia Motorevska, Head of War Crimes Investigations Unit, the Kyiv Independent
  • Olesia Bida, War Crime reporter, the Kyiv Independent
  • Ivan Matkovskyi, a subject of the documentary, a witness, previously forcibly transferred a minor who has been successfully returned to Ukraine.

“The Russians like to claim that they are actually saving Ukrainian children rather than deporting them. This is not true. They have established and finely tuned the system of deporting children to Russia. Maria Lvova-Belova is not the only one behind this; doctors, social service workers, and even ‘ordinary Russians’ who take Ukrainian children into their families are participating in this war crime,” said the film’s author, journalist Olesia Bida.

The film will be screened in five US cities:
  • February 14, 16 – New York City.
    Location and tickets: HERE
    Side event at Columbia University: HERE
  • February 15 – Washington DC 
    Location and tickets: HERE
    Side event at Georgetown University: HERE
  • February 18 – Houston, TX

    Location and tickets: HERE

  • February 19-20 – Austin, TX

    Location and tickets: HERE

  • February 22-23 – Phoenix, AZ

    Location and tickets: HERE

 

The screenings will be followed by panel discussions featuring:

  • Daryna Shevchenko, CEO, Kyiv Independent
  • Olesia Bida, War Crime reporter, Kyiv Independent, author of the movie
  • Yevheniia Motorevska, Head of War Crimes Investigations Unit, Kyiv Independent
  • Ivan Matkovskyi, a subject of the documentary and former forcibly transferred minor.
Local experts in each city will join the conversation, including Terrell Jermaine Starr (NYC), Peter Pomeranzev (DC) and Kimberley S. Julian-Varnon (Houston).
 

“The goals of the project are to bring the voices of people in Ukraine directly to audiences in the US, to raise awareness about the widespread russian war crime of abduction and deportation of Ukrainians, especially children, and to expose the evidence of russian genocide of Ukrainians as the United States debates whether to continue to support Ukraine’s fight for freedom,” said the manager of the project Katya Pavlevych.

About Razom

Razom, which means “together” in Ukrainian, is a leading U.S.-based nonprofit dedicated to upholding the principles of the Revolution of Dignity (Maidan) and actively contributing to the establishment of a secure, prosperous, and democratic Ukraine. Razom delivers on this mission along with a network of volunteers and partners, by providing humanitarian assistance, and administering programs and services to support health, advocacy, civil society and culture. 

About Kyiv Independent

The Kyiv Independent is Ukraine’s fastest-growing English-language media outlet. It was created in November 2021, just three months before the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, with a mission to serve as the bridge between Ukraine and the world, delivering reliable news, context, and on-the-ground reporting.

Together, we can demand accountability for stolen childhoods!

Take Action to Help Children Now

What to Read and See about Ukraine and Ukrainians in 2024

Published: January 18, 2024   

A Journey Through Ukrainian Literature

Explore a rich array of Ukrainian books already translated into English, supported by Razom. 

From Volodymyr Rafeyenko’s Mondegreen and his magical realism novel The Length of Days, exploring the annexation of Donetsk, to captivating works by other Ukrainian literary giants like Serhiy Zhadan, Andriy Kurkov, and Oksana Litsyshyna, as well as non-fiction accounts by Stanislav Aseyev, Serhiy Zhadan, and Andriy Kurkov. If you enjoyed “20 Days in Mariupol,” delve into the novel by its director, Mstyslav Chernov, titled The Dreamtime.

Olena Stiazhkina’s books.

Cecile the Lion Had To Die, a novel about the four Donetsk families and two generations, the last Soviet one and the first Ukrainian one. This book was Razom Book Club’s favorite read in 2021, which is why we extended a grant to publish it. This novel has already been taught in a few U.S. universities and received great marks by students and professors. Also, Olena’s diary of Russia’s 2014 take over of Donetsk was published for the first time in English. It was originally written in Russian, but the author decided not to publish it in the original language.

Pre-order copies of both books.

New Translations of Lesia Ukrainka

The modernist Ukrainian writer Lesia Ukrainka (pen name of Larysa Kosach-Kvitka) pioneered a new feminist literature at the forefront of European trends of the time. Born in 1871, her dramas, poetry and prose address concerns ranging from gender and race to feminism and environmentalism. 

Harvard University Press is publishing a new translation of Cassandra, a dramatic poem and a translation of Forest Song by Razom’s frequent collaborators Virlana Tkacz and Wanda Phipps  of Yara Arts. Cassandra has already played to great reviews in London in 2021, and Yara Arts staged Forest Song online during the Covid quarantine (available online).

 

Yaroslav Trofimov

Immerse yourself in the riveting firsthand account of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine capturing the heroism and resilience of the Ukrainian people, as recounted by Yaroslav Trofimov, Wall Street Journal’s Chief Foreign Correspondent. The title, Our Enemies Will Vanish, comes from Ukraine’s national hymn.

Artem Chapaye

A stunning debut collection by Artem Chapaye, a Ukrainian writer currently defending his country in Kyiv. 

His collection, featuring the celebrated title story The Ukraine, published in the New Yorker in 2022, offers irreverent, tender, uncomfortable and inconvenient narratives.

Other Anticipated Books in 2024

Look forward to new translations of Andriy Kurkov’s novels, Artem Chech’s And Who are You?, Oksana Lutsyshyna’s Love Life, classics by Valerian Pidmohilny and Mike Iohanssen, and a sweeping Second World War novel depicting Kyiv under occupation by Oleksiy Nikitin.

A Journey Through Ukrainian Cinema

20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL

This powerful, award-winning documentary directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning Ukrainian journalist Mstyslav Chernov,  is one of the “musts” to watch and spread the word about. 

This year, “20 Days in Mariupol” made history for Ukraine by getting on the shortlist for the Academy Awards in two categories – International Feature and Documentary Feature.

 

Razom is proud to partner with 

FRONTLINE |  PBS in bringing this documentary to universities around the U.S. through our Ukraine on Campus program. 

If you are a student, professor, staff at a university and would like to participate, reach out to info@razomforukraine.org and stay tuned for announcements!

 

In the meantime, catch the film online and spread the word!

Watch:  20 Days in Mariupol (full documentary) | FRONTLINE and The Associated Press 

pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/documentary/20-days-in-mariupol

 For more updates and where to catch the film next, see

20daysinmariupol.com

IN THE REARVIEW

Another documentary that entered the Razom Cinema network is Polish/Ukrainian/French collaboration called “In The Rearview”. Behind this award-winning film is a small team of filmmakers who put their lives on hold to help Ukraine and ended up documenting the journey. “In The Rearview” is a collection of stories that director Maciek Hamela recorded during his volunteer rescue expeditions to evacuate people from different regions in Ukraine to safety. In the recent Q&A after the screening, producer Anna Palenchuk shared that she and her family had to leave Bucha around the same time as Maciek’s rescue missions. “I could’ve been one of his passengers”, said Anna. Razom supported the documentary during the OSCAR 2024 campaign as it is another Ukrainian story in the run for the nominations. 

 

Follow their social media channels for the latest on upcoming screenings: https://www.instagram.com/intherearview.film/

 

If you are interested in bringing this film to your community, give us a shout!

A RISING FURY

Razom had the pleasure to support the production of “A Rising Fury”, which is now a critically acclaimed and 96th Academy Award longlisted feature documentary about the Russo-Ukrainian War.  Directed/produced by Lesya Kalynska and Ruslan Batytskyi, produced by TJ Collins and Jonathan Borge Lie, the film reveals the true untold story of how the Russo-Ukrainian war began in 2014. It’s a story about love, revolution, deception, and war filmed for nearly 10 years through intimate verité material. The filmmaking  team has plans to make the documentary available to stream to the public in the U.S. and abroad in late spring 2024.

Mark your calendar – “A Rising Fury” will have a special screening in LA at TCL Chinese Theater on February 22, 2024 at 3:30PM and 7:00PM. For more information about the film and what’s next for the team, go to https://arisingfury.com/

RULE OF TWO WALLS

In Summer 2023, Razom provided a grant to the documentary team “Rule of Two Walls” to help bring their team and Ukrainian artists featured in the documentary to attend the World Premiere of the film at the Tribeca Film Festival. Since then, the documentary traveled across other prestigious film festivals and will screen in Australia at the Antenna Documentary Film Festival in February.

 

 Executive produced by Liev Schreiber, the film gives an insight into the lives of Ukrainian artists who create art as a defiant act in the face of aggression. 

 

Follow the film page on instagram https://www.instagram.com/ruleoftwowallsfilm/

KLONDIKE

After becoming the first Ukrainian filmmaker to receive the Sundance Award in World Cinema Dramatic Competition in 2022, Maryna Er Gorbach and her film “Klondike” collected various international awards and were Ukraine’s submission to the OSCARS 2022. This past Summer, “Klondike” had its U.S. theatrical release at the Angelika theater. Razom supported the film with a grant during its Oscars campaign.

You can now watch the film online!

Apple TV

Prime video 

A BLIND GAME / ГРА В СЛІПОТУ

Ruslan Batytskyi with Anna Borysova  created powerful videos that documented Razom’s work and its impact on the ground in Ukraine. Their short documentary highlights the resilience and unbreakable spirit of sportsmen with disabilities – their undying motivation and belief in themselves. You can watch the full film on YouTube for free. 

A HOUSE MADE OF SPLINTERS

Another Razom supported film that made noise at the OSCARS 2023 after being nominated for Best Documentary Feature is the film directed by Simon Lereng Wilmont, co-produced by Ukrainian producers Darya Bassel and Vika Khomenko. The film follows the lives of children and the caregivers in an orphanage in Eastern Ukraine as the war in the region takes a heavy toll on families living nearby. 

Razom helped assure there is a strong Ukrainian representation at the Oscars by providing a travel grant for the producers and caregivers featured in the documentary. 

You can now watch the film on Apple TV

UKRAINIAN CULTURAL FESTIVAL

If you didn’t get the chance to attend the film screenings during UCF this past fall, you are able to catch some of them on TAKFLIX – Ukraine’s first streaming service of all things Ukrainian Cinema. 

Feature Film:

Pamfir: https://www.takflix.com/en/films/pamfir

Short Films:

Liturgy of Anti-tanks Obstacles: When Ukrainian Artists Prepare for War | Liturgy of Anti-Tank Obstacles | The New Yorker Documentary

I Didn’t Want To Make A War Film: I Did Not Want to Make a War Film | The New Yorker Documentary

Call Me Anytime, I’m Not Leaving The House: https://www.pbs.org/pov/films/callmeanytimeimnotleavingthehouse/ 

Diaper Cake: https://www.takflix.com/en/films/diaper-cake

Golden Leggings: https://www.takflix.com/en/films/gkchp

FREEDOM ON FIRE: UKRAINE’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM 

Join us for a special screening of Evgeny Afineevsky’s documentary “Freedom on Fire” at the United Nations on February 20, 2024 at 6:30PM. Mark your calendars and keep an eye out for further announcements!

VESELKA – DOCUMENTARY

These dear friends of Razom are not only celebrating their 70th anniversary, but also the world premiere of documentary film “Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World” at Village East cinema.

VESELKA | Official Trailer (2024)

Join us on February 23, 2024 to support Veselka, their team, and their generational impact on the community.

Make sure to follow our newsletter and social media for more announcements! 

Together, we can prove to cultural programmers that Ukrainian stories are necessary and that there is a large audience ready for them.

 

Дивимось і  читаймо Українське Разом!

Learn more about Razom efforts on the cultural diplomacy front within our Razom Culture project.

Razom Congratulates Ukrainian Films in the Running for the 2024 Oscars

Published: December 22, 2023   

Razom Congratulates Ukrainian Films in the Running for the 2024 Oscars

 

December 21st brought us the long awaited news of shortlisted films for the 2024 Oscars (Academy Awards). Razom is celebrating the incredible accomplishments of every Ukrainian story that became a contender for an Oscar, and those that went on to fill up the slots on the shortlist for the award. Over the years, Razom Cinema has supported films that amplify Ukrainian voices and center stories from Ukraine, and this year we congratulate all of our filmmakers not only on this accomplishment, but also for the impactful work that led to this point. 

SHORTLISTED FILMS

20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL

Trailer: 20 Days In Mariupol (trailer) | FRONTLINE

Synopsis: An AP team of Ukrainian journalists trapped in the besieged city of Mariupol struggle to continue their work documenting atrocities of the Russian invasion. As the only international reporters who remain in the city, they capture what later become defining images of the war: dying children, mass graves, the bombing of a maternity hospital, and more. (20daysinmariupol.com)

 

“20 Days in Mariupol” is shortlisted for the Documentary Feature category as well as the International Feature category, where it represents Ukraine. Razom, along with other partners, has supported the film during its U.S. theatrical release, as well as helping bring the documentary to various communities around the U.S. This film is currently available to watch online (U.S. territory) on YouTube as well as PBS Frontline. 

IN THE REARVIEW

Trailer: IN THE REARVIEW Trailer | TIFF 2023

Synopsis: In the Rearview is an authentic, intimate observation of war as it unfolds, following multiple generations of Ukrainian civilians as they abruptly abandon their homes and rely on the help of director Maciek Hamela’s volunteer aid van to escape the life-threatening conflict. As he steers through minefields to leave Ukraine and tries to get through numerous military checkpoints, Hamela offers us a seat in his car, guiding the documentary from behind the wheel and behind the camera, crisscrossing the roads of Ukraine to transport uprooted refugees safely to Poland. The van traverses tens of thousands of kilometers and serves as a waiting room, hospital, shelter, and zone for confidences and confessions among compatriots thrown together by chance. (intherearview.eu)

 

“In the Rearview” is shortlisted for the Documentary Feature category. Razom provided a grant to the film team in order to support their screenings in key cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, which were part of the Oscar campaign. Keep an eye out for more screenings in the new year!

OSCAR 2024 QUALIFIERS FROM RAZOM CINEMA

A RISING FURY

Trailer: “A Rising Fury” | Trailer | Stockholm International Film Festival 2022

Synopsis: “A RISING FURY” follows two hopeful Ukrainian idealists from the peaceful protest in Kyiv in 2013 to the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Pavlo and Svitlana met and fell in love at the Maidan Revolution and were filmed nearly 10 years with several expeditions to the frontlines of the war. When Russia invaded Crimea and Donbas in 2014, Pavlo lost his family home and joined the Ukrainian military effort. To defend his nation, he engages in deadly firefights against former friends and a close military instructor who join Russian forces. As Svitlana transports food and medical supplies, both find themselves on the battle lines, protecting their land, democracy, and their relationship. This film reveals the true untold story of how the Russo-Ukrainian war began nearly 10 years ago. (arisingfury.com)

 

“A Rising Fury” recently had an incredible US theatrical release in NYC (watch a conversation between director Lesya Kalynska and Professor Timothy Snyder). This came after their successful festival run that started from Tribeca Film Festival in 2022. Razom is proud to have supported the making of this vital film that shines light and provides insight into the beginning of this nearly ten-year war while following the heroic journey of Pavlo.

SUNFLOWER FIELD

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/882754612

Synopsis: Under the shadowy threat of war, a young Ukrainian girl awaits a call from her father. As she waits, the day turns into night and she sinks into various dreamscapes from which she must find her way home. 

 

“Sunflower Field” just recently wrapped its festival journey – taking home the award for Best Short Animation from Oscar-qualifying Woodstock Film Festival. Razom provided support with community engagement where the filmmaker was also able to connect with several Ukrainian schools in different states to not only screen the animation, but also engage with Ukrainian children by inviting them to become part of the animation.

Make sure to follow our newsletter and social media for more announcements on how to catch these films and more! In the meantime, we urge you to connect with your local theaters, art institutions, and other locations where you could potentially host a screening of one of these films (or reach out if you’re looking for more). Together, we can prove to cultural programmers that Ukrainian stories are necessary and that there is a large audience ready for them.


Дивимось Українське Разом!

Razom Culture