The grand opening ceremony of the Ukrainian National Film Festival "Cinema for Victory" took place at the National Center "Ukrainian House." This festival is supported by the President of Ukraine, initiated by the State Film Agency of Ukraine, and founded by the NGO "UkrkinoFest," the International Film Festival "Molodist," and the Odesa Film Studio.
According to reports, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Elena Koval, delivered a welcoming speech, conveying greetings from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and emphasizing the festival's importance for the country and its significance for society.
"The films presented at the festival were created during the most challenging times for our state. They are not only documentary works but also important testimonies of the bravery of our warriors, the resilience of Ukrainian society, and the global tragedy that has befallen our land. These films are stories written in blood and tears, filled with unwavering faith in victory and justice," Koval noted.
In turn, the Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, Mykola Tochitsky, expressed gratitude to those creating films during this difficult time and to those documenting reality directly at the front lines.
"Documentary cinema today plays an extremely important role in preserving our resilience and unity. I want to once again thank the relatives and loved ones of our heroes, for it is thanks to them that we have those who fight daily for our freedom. I also thank the artists in the fields of cinema and culture, who shape historical memory through their works," Tochitsky said.
Additionally, among the honored guests at the opening ceremony was public figure and human rights activist Roman Schwartzman, chairman of the Odesa Regional Association of Jews, former prisoners of ghettos and Nazi concentration camps, who called on the entire world to focus on helping Ukraine, emphasizing the critical importance of this assistance.
The opening was attended by representatives of the Office of the President, the Cabinet of Ministers, high-ranking ambassadors, soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, volunteers, representatives of the State Film Agency, directors, producers, actors, and jury members: Bernard-Henri Lévy, Philippe Azoulay, Bo Tenberg, Andriy Donchyk, actor Volodymyr Horianskyi, director Oles Sanin, singer Olha Tsybulska, and volunteer Olympia Vaytmustash.
The international jury of the film festival is headed by French documentary filmmaker Bernard-Henri Lévy. The main international jury includes: Philippe Azoulay, Sahra Karimi, and Ariel Dombal. The chairman of the national jury is Ukrainian director Andriy Donchyk. The national jury also includes: Iryna Melnyk, Akim Halimov, and Andriy Fedinchik.
The "Cinema for Victory" program will feature fifteen films in both competitive and non-competitive categories that have passed technical selection.
The screening schedule is available on the official website of the film festival. Admission is free for all interested.