On the first week of June, Igor Iankovskyi Foundation, NGO “Initiative for the Future” and Monegasque Association Helping Hand, along with Ukrainian State Film Agency and Italian company 4RoomsFilm, have organized and successfully conducted “Days of Ukrainian Cinema in Roma”, for the first time in history of independent Ukraine.

Italian public and representatives of numerous Ukrainian diaspora could enjoy: “The Nest of the Turtledove” by Taras Tkachenko, “Living Fire” by Ostap Kostiuk, “Trumpet-player” by Anatolii Mateshko, “My Granny Fanny Kaplan” by Olena Demyanenko and a classical national movie – “White Bird with Black Mark” by Yuri Illienko.

Members of Ukrainian delegation, comprising Pylyp Illienko, the Head of Ukrainian State Film Agency, and Igor Iankovskyi, founder of eponymous Foundation, directors and actors were met at the door of the cinema theater by nationally-dressed young women with incredibly beautiful crowns with traditional bread and salt. These were Ukrainian activists and volunteers who made lots of efforts to make the event popular among Italians and our compatriots.
Great part of applause took “The Nest of the Turtledove”’s shooting team. Everybody wanted to make a picture with starring actors: Rimma Ziubina, Lina Bernardi, Mauro Chipriani and director Taras Tkachenko.

“I’m very glad to see such a festive atmosphere around “Days of Ukrainian Cinema in Roma”. When five years ago my Foundation started a support program for Ukrainian cinema abroad, I couldn’t even imagine the speed of development. We’ve just returned from Cannes, where two Ukrainian films at once have been competing in contests, we have Karlovy Vary Film Festival ahead, where the contest program also comprises two Ukrainian movies. This is truly incredible development! Our cinema enters the most prestigious world film festivals and takes rewards. We observe the revival of national cinema in Ukraine and we rejoice to have a direct influence on this movement”, - noted Igor Iankovskyi.
The projections have been held in one of the most renowned roman Cinema Farnese, situated in historical part of Italian capital at Campo de Fiori. “Days of Ukrainian Cinema in Roma” have been opened by opening night of “The Nest of the Turtledove”, staged in Ukraine and Italy. Long before the start of the ceremony the square in front of the cinema began to fill by the representatives of Ukrainian diaspora in national outfits. The excitement was so great, that the opening night reunited a hundred persons more than the cinema theater could comprise. That’s why all the movies were repeated and the public could visit every of three screenings per day with Ukrainian movies. All the screenings were free of charge and there were those who attended all the three movies in a row.

Near the entrance to Cinema Farnese, the participants of Ukrainian art-band “Stozhary” comprising Ukrainian students in Roma have performed rousing Ukrainian dance that didn’t left behind the attention of romans and the guests of Italian capital. Salutations “Slava Ukraini! – Geroyam Slava!” ("Glory to Ukraine! – Glory to Heroes!") were heard from everywhere. A little later those words were shouted by tourists and Italians from nearby cafes, situated around the perimeter of the Campo de Fiori. The square is a historical place itself, comprising a monument to Giordano Bruno, who had been staked at this very place. By the end of the day, the whole square had been involved into the celebration of Ukrainian cinema.

“Days of Ukrainian Cinema in Roma” are opened by “The Nest of the Turtledove” not by a chance – this movie had been created in coproduction with Italian partners. This year will see a number of films made in cooperation with European cinema-makers. Today, Ukrainian cinema is booming: more than 100 cinema projects are being developed with the State support alone. For us it is crucial to develop cooperation with international partners. Such events as today truly help Ukrainian cinema-makers to establish business relations with their colleagues abroad. That’s why I’m sincerely thankful to Igor Iankovskyi Foundation that has been supporting our initiatives towards promotion of our cinema abroad”, - underlined Pylyp Illienko, the Head of Ukrainian State Film Agency.

Before the opening ceremony, Cinema Farnese has accommodated a meeting of Ukrainian and Italian producers, who discussed the possibilities for cooperation and a master-class dedicated to particularities of such cooperation speaking of European cinema-support structures and foundations, organized by Italian event-companies Maia Workshops and 4roomsFilm. Pylyp Illienko, the Head of Ukrainian State Film Agency, has delivered a presentation on cinema developments in Ukraine and possibilities of coproduction between our countries. The informal communication continued at business-lunch serving traditional Italian food.

Daily projections of Ukrainian movies have generated enormous interest among the public who didn’t want to let go the film-makers after each screening by long Q&A sessions.

Igor Iankovskyi Foundation is continuously promoting modern Ukrainian cinema for the last five years. Due to this support Ukrainian delegations have the opportunity to take part at the biggest international film festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Karlovy Vary, and Tallinn and so on. Igor Iankovskyi Foundation issues the travel and participation grants to young Ukrainian directors in order to visit such festivals. Furthermore, due to the support of NGO “Initiative for the Future”, also founded by Igor Iankovskyi, the “Days of Ukrainian Cinema” have been successfully conducted in Munich, Paris, London, Amsterdam and Budapest.