Festivities Multiply since Ukrainian Independence: Part 2

This is the second article of a three-part series about various Ukraine festivals since the country’s independence in 1991. Ukraine.com is proud to present the following article on Film Festivals in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Film Festivals

First organized in 1970, the Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival is one of the most prominent film festivals in Europe and features cinematic debuts and student films. The festival, showcasing more than 240 films from forty countries and held each October draws students in particular from around the world hungry to exhibit their work.

Past award winners at this festival have gone on to make their mark on the world stage. Filmmaker, Bruno Dumond, participated in the festival in 1997 and went on to take the Palme d’Or Award in Cannes two years later.

Film competition is divided into student films, first professional short films for fiction, animation, and documentary, and first professional full-length film allowing filmmakers to compete with their peers. The festival named for youth – Molodist – is a must see for young filmmakers in particular.

Another example of cross-border cooperation between Russia and Ukraine may be found in the KROK Animated Film Festival. Krok, the Ukrainian word for ‘step’, leaps forward each year. More than 30 countries showcasing more than 170 entries of the world’s best animation is shown during the twelve day festival. Originating in 1989, the festival’s international reputation has blossomed.

Not only have the hosts rotated annually but the route the festival takes on a chartered cruiser winds its way through the waters and landscape of both countries too. Last year’s twelve day festival floated down the Dnipro River from Kyiv through Zaporozhie, Kherson, Sevastopol, and Odessa.

Fascinating workshops, improvised concerts, and a frenetic exchange of ideas about the creative experience, new styles and technologies, provide a unique opportunity for audience and artist exchange under the stars.

Part 3 of our series entitled, “Festivities Multiply since Ukrainian Independence”, will appear soon.