Can art of all forms thrive in the face of war? Recent events in Ukraine have profoundly shaped its evolution.
Every year, on the second Saturday of September, Ukraine honours its rich cinematic history with the Day of Ukrainian Cinema. The country’s cinematic legacy includes iconic figures like Sergei Paradjanov, a renowned director who filmed in Ukraine and was persecuted by the Soviet regime. Oleksandr Dovzhenko was a pioneering filmmaker who had to rewrite his scripts to conform to Soviet censorship.
In recent years, Ukrainian cinema has also earned global recognition, including an Oscar for a documentary about Russia’s atrocities in Mariupol, shining a light on the horrors of war.
Despite this legacy, the survival of Ukrainian cinema faces ongoing challenges, mainly due to the ongoing war with Russia. Ukrainian filmmakers are navigating an increasingly unstable environment, but their resilience ensures that their stories continue to reach the world.
The Struggles of Ukrainian Cinema Today
Three prominent Ukrainian filmmakers shared their stories in a conversation shared by Nost Organization. It becomes clear that Ukrainian cinema, shaped by its turbulent history, is finding ways to adapt despite Russian aggression.
Volodymyr Tykhyi, a well-known director and producer, reflects on the legacy of directors like Paradjanov and Dovzhenko. He points out that Ukrainian cinema is rebuilding a cultural context free from Soviet influence. While Ukraine’s digital technology infrastructure remains underdeveloped and financial support for the industry is lacking, Tykhyi emphasises that national documentaries, often focused on historical and political events, are gaining recognition on the international stage.
Tykhyi highlights the importance of preserving memory amid the impact of war on filmmaking. The tragic reality is that feature films are nearly impossible to produce, but documentary filmmaking offers a unique outlet for expression.
“Quality always wins and scales up,” Tykhyi shared for Network for Border Crossing Journalism; Ukrainian filmmakers must continue creating impactful works that tell the world’s unfiltered truth.
Ukrainian Cinema’s Search for Continuity
Dmytro Suholytkyy-Sobchuk, another Ukrainian director, explains that growing up under Soviet rule shaped his understanding of film as a tool of propaganda and resistance. Filmmakers like Kira Muratova and Yuriy Ilyenko created important works despite routine oppression. However, such censorship limited the capacity to think creatively and develop Ukranian cinema.
Looking ahead, Suholytkyy-Sobchuk celebrates the digital revolution, which has democratised filmmaking and opened the door for new voices. Suholytkyy-Sobchuk sees a vibrant new generation of Ukrainian filmmakers offering fresh stories that resonate globally. Names include Roman Bondarchuk and Kateryna Gornostai. Challenges remain, but Suholytkyy-Sobchuk believes this new wave of filmmakers will make their mark.
The Impact of War on Cinema and Culture
Screenwriter and director Marysia Nikitiuk contributed to the discussion for the network for border journalism on Ukrainian cinema’s precarious situation. Despite the tremendous breakthroughs Ukrainian filmmakers have made in recent years, the war threatens to undo these gains. Nikitiuk emphasises that if Ukraine does not tell its own stories, others—particularly Russia—will continue to impose false narratives that misrepresent the country’s people and history.
Nikitiuk believes that Ukrainian filmmakers will continue to push forward despite all odds. “We like watching foreign movies since we perceive them as fairy tales,” she says, reflecting on how Ukrainians relate to stories from other countries. But now, the fight is to reclaim and tell their own story. “We are starting to be destroyed again, and everything starts all over.”
Ukrainian cinema faces an uphill battle amidst the echoes of the Soviet past, the digital revolution, and the present war with Russia. Filmmakers continue to create influential work, the kind of work that will mark history. While the path forward has obstacles, there is a collective effort to preserve Ukrainian culture and identity through the power of storytelling.
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