13 October 2023

Molodist KIFF introduces Ukrainian films in its program: National Competition, Ukrainian Premieres program, and other Ukrainian films in festival’s competition and non-competition programs

Molodist KIFF introduces Ukrainian films in its program: National Competition, Ukrainian Premieres program, and other Ukrainian films in the festival’s competition and non-competition programs

As previously announced, the festival will be held from October 21 to 29, 2023. The opening and award ceremonies and part of the screenings will take place in Krakiv Cinema. Zhovten Cinema will serve as the festival center.

This year’s National Short Film Competition includes 25 films of various genres and forms (fiction, documentary, animation). The selected films encompass both those with a rich festival history and those making their premiere at Molodist. Together, the 25 pieces create a mosaic depicting the life of contemporary Ukrainian society during the second year of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Screenings of the National Competition films will be held daily from October 24th to 27th at 7:30 p.m. at Zhovten Cinema.

Short Films Competition:

Voice Messages from Bakhmut, Ihor Babaiev, Ukraine, 2023, 15’

Kira, Anastasiia Obodovska, Ukraine, 2023, 27’

When Will the Warmth Come?, Oleksandra Pletenetska, Ukraine, 2022, 15’

Before Curfew, Angelika Ustymenko, Ukraine, 2023, 23’

The Seventh Shift, Nataliya Ilchuk, Ukraine, 2023, 15’

Questionnaire, Nataliya Ilchuk, Ukraine, 2022, 30’

Ach So, Polina Piddubna, Ukraine, Germany, 2022, 3’

Claudio’s Song, Andreas Nilsson, UK, Ukraine, 2022, 10’

Optics, Oleksiy Novikov, Ukraine, 2022, 26’

Paper Knight, Olexander Khomenko, Ukraine, 2022, 16’

We Will Restore the Trust of Kharkiv Residents and Provide High-Quality Service to Residential Buildings, Maksym Khodak, Ukraine, 2022, 24’

Where He Stepped, Yehor Harmash, Ukraine, 2023, 25’

I Stumble Every Time I Hear From Kyiv, Ukraine, Belgium, Portugal, Hungary, 2022, 17’

Mokosh, Anna Dudko, Ukraine, Austria, 2023, 5’

Black Dog, Nikita Zarkh, Ukraine, 2022, 20’

It’s a Date, Nadia Parfan, Ukraine, 2023, 6’

In Paris No One Thinks About Tomorrow, Andrii Kokura, Ukraine, France, 2023, 14’

Say "Cześć", Veronika Shuster, Nata Onysh, Ukraine, 2023, 17’

The Bus Stop, Kateryna Omelianenko, Ukraine, 2023, 3’

Alive, Vladlen Odudenko, Ukraine, 2023, 12’

Chornobyl 22, Oleksiy Radynski, Ukraine, 2023, 21’

The End of Story, Stanislav Bytiutskyi, Ukraine, 2023, 15’

As It Was, Damian Kocur, Anastasiia Solonevych, Poland, Ukraine, 2023, 15’

70,000 Years Ago, Eduard Nechmohlod, Ukraine, 2023, 198’

Mariupol. A Hundred Nights, Sofiia Melnyk, Ukraine, Germany, 2023, 8’

The International Full-Length Competition features films produced in Ukraine or co-production with other countries. This includes Maryna Vrodaʼs drama Stepne and Yeva Strielnikova’s film Stay Online.

In August this year, Maryna Vroda received the Silver Leopard for her film Stepne at the Locarno Film Festival. The city and region of Locarno awards the Silver Leopard for the best director in the international competition. At the festival, the film also received the FIPRESCI Award from the International Federation of Film Critics.

This co-production, spanning Ukraine, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia, marks the director’s debut feature.

Set amidst stunning Ukrainian winter landscapes, vanishing villages, and emerging feelings of alienation between people in post-Soviet society, STEPNE is the story of Anatoliy, a man who comes back home from the big city to take care of his dying mother. The mother’s passing, a meeting with his brother, and a woman he loves make him reflect on the life he’s had and the choices he made along the way. And then, just before her death, the mother tells Anatoliy about a treasure she has buried in the shed…

The film stars Oleksandr Maksiakov, Nina Antonova, Oleh Prymohenov and Radmyla Shchoholieva.

Stay Online by Yeva Strielnikova was made after the full-scale invasion had started. The story follows a young woman, Lisa, who volunteers in Kyiv and receives one of the thousands of laptops donated by Ukrainians to support the military. She then gets a mysterious video call from a boy looking for his father, the previous laptop owner, who disappeared during the Russian army’s occupation of Bucha. Reluctantly, Lisa agrees to help the boy find his missing parents. This decision will ultimately force her to risk the lives of her own loved ones.

The non-competition program Ukrainian Premieres consists of 2 films. One is the documentary The Year of the Tiger by Oleksandr Nazarov which will have its world premiere at the festival. The events of the film take place in 2022, also known as the Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese zodiac. As the full-scale invasion begins, the film's protagonist, Oleksandr, stays in his native Kharkiv, Northern Saltivka district. His closest circle now consists of six neighbors and their pets. During the shelling, a projectile hits his apartment, and all Oleksandr has left is his camera, through the lens of which he tells his personal story.

The next film in the program is another documentary, a collaborative Ukrainian-Austrian piece What’s Next? by Daria Driuchenko. This film, too, explores the impact of the full-scale invasion in Kharkiv, Ukraine. The city’s residents seek refuge in metro stations during intense shelling. The documentary follows the stories of a young medical student, a teacher who brings hope to children in dire circumstances, and a pregnant couple believing in a brighter future.

The Documentary Competition will present Ivan Sautkin’s debut feature, A Poem For Little People. For additional details about the film, please refer to Molodist’s previous release.

Among the other films at Molodist, it’s worth mentioning 50 Horizons from the FORMA program, an experimental documentary by Oleksiy-Nestor Naumenko having its world premiere at the festival.

As previously announced, festival passes are now available for purchase. Festival pass holders will enjoy access to all screenings at Zhovten and Krakiv cinemas, except for the opening and closing ceremonies. Until October 15th, these passes can be acquired at a reduced rate of UAH 750.

For students, the festival offers a student pass, available at the discounted price of only 350 UAH until October 15th. Subsequently, from October 16th to October 21st, festival passes will be priced at UAH 1000 and student passes at UAH 500.

You can acquire your festival pass via the following link.

The festival is supported by the Ukrainian State Film Agency, the Goethe-Institut, the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine, the Embassy of Italy in Ukraine, the Italian Cultural Institute in Ukraine, and the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine.

Creative Partner Hexagon Аgency

Partners:

M.S.L.

Ilta

Zhovten Cinema

Krakiv Cinema

MC «Kyiv Cultural Cluster»

FROLOV

Kimberli

Amo Pictures

International Institute of Depth Psychology

Media Partners:
1+1media — the main media partner