10 film projects from Ukraine introduced at the world's biggest documentary festival IDFA
Ukrainian producers and film directors were pitching their movies at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, which took place from 20 November to 1 December 2019.
The participation of the Ukrainian delegation was organised jointly by Docudays UA, Ukrainian state film agency, and Ukrainian Institute.
The participation of the Ukrainian delegation was organised jointly by Docudays UA, Ukrainian state film agency, and Ukrainian Institute.
For the first time, so many participants from Ukraine joined the IDFA, so-called "documentary Cannes". Their projects are among the most expected documentaries in Ukraine of the upcoming years.
"In recent years, Ukrainian documentaries have become an effective tool for cultural diplomacy. They provide the deep and essential context of modern Ukrainian reality if you look closely at their topics: post-traumatic syndrome experienced by the entire society, rise in voluntary activities, controversial process of decommunisation... However non-feature film production is a long and difficult process. Hence it was strategically important for the Ukrainian Institute to support the Ukrainian delegation at the IDFA. It is not only the world's largest documentary film festival but also a powerful industrial platform where cinematographers can find comprehensive support for their ideas," commented Olga Birzul, Head of Film Programmes at the Ukrainian Institute.
On 26 November, the four future documentaries were introduced under the showcase "Meet Ukrainian Delegation":
Among the other projects which joined the delegation were: "Salt from Bonneville" (directed by Simon Mozgovyi), "Lagoons. A Battle for Paradise" (directed by Serhiy Lysenko), "Florian's Witnesses" (directed by Oleksiy Radinsky), "Aftermath VR: Euromaidan" (directed by Serhiy Polezhaka), "ROSES. Film-Cabaret" (directed by Irena Stetsenko) and "Company of Steel" (directed by Yuliia Hontaruk).
On 27 November, the Ukrainian delegation met the visitors at the IDFA FORUM LUNCH supported by the Ukrainian Institute. It gathers together all the actors of the festival industry market. This year's lunch motto was "Ukraine: Here We Go!". The event attracted 300 guests from all over the world!
27 листопада українська делегація зустрічала гостей на IDFA за підтримки «Українського інституту». Події, під час якої збираються всі учасники фестивального індустрійного ринку. Цього року ланч відбувся під гаслом «Ukraine: Here We Go!». Його відвідало понад 300 гостей зі всього світу!
Photos from the Forum Lunch – © 2019, Joke Schut
INDUSTRY MEETUP: Meet Ukrainian delegation (projects presentation) – Melanie Lemahieu
"In recent years, Ukrainian documentaries have become an effective tool for cultural diplomacy. They provide the deep and essential context of modern Ukrainian reality if you look closely at their topics: post-traumatic syndrome experienced by the entire society, rise in voluntary activities, controversial process of decommunisation... However non-feature film production is a long and difficult process. Hence it was strategically important for the Ukrainian Institute to support the Ukrainian delegation at the IDFA. It is not only the world's largest documentary film festival but also a powerful industrial platform where cinematographers can find comprehensive support for their ideas," commented Olga Birzul, Head of Film Programmes at the Ukrainian Institute.
On 26 November, the four future documentaries were introduced under the showcase "Meet Ukrainian Delegation":
- Expedition 49" directed by Alisa Kovalenko and produced by Stephane Siohan;
- "Fragile Memory" directed by Igor Ivanko produced by Mariia Ponomaryova
- "Fragments of Ice" directed by Maria Stoianova
- "Between Two Wars" directed by Alina Gorlova and produced by Maksym Nakonechnyi.
Among the other projects which joined the delegation were: "Salt from Bonneville" (directed by Simon Mozgovyi), "Lagoons. A Battle for Paradise" (directed by Serhiy Lysenko), "Florian's Witnesses" (directed by Oleksiy Radinsky), "Aftermath VR: Euromaidan" (directed by Serhiy Polezhaka), "ROSES. Film-Cabaret" (directed by Irena Stetsenko) and "Company of Steel" (directed by Yuliia Hontaruk).
On 27 November, the Ukrainian delegation met the visitors at the IDFA FORUM LUNCH supported by the Ukrainian Institute. It gathers together all the actors of the festival industry market. This year's lunch motto was "Ukraine: Here We Go!". The event attracted 300 guests from all over the world!
27 листопада українська делегація зустрічала гостей на IDFA за підтримки «Українського інституту». Події, під час якої збираються всі учасники фестивального індустрійного ринку. Цього року ланч відбувся під гаслом «Ukraine: Here We Go!». Його відвідало понад 300 гостей зі всього світу!
Photos from the Forum Lunch – © 2019, Joke Schut
INDUSTRY MEETUP: Meet Ukrainian delegation (projects presentation) – Melanie Lemahieu