On the 6th of July the Head of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, Philip Illienko, jointly with philanthropist Igor Iankovskyi, founder of the NGO “Initiative for the Future”, held a presentation of the contemporary Ukrainian cinema for the first time in festival’s history. It reunited Ukrainian and international producers, directors, journalists and members of the international festivals screening committees.

The informal setting of the meeting, organized in the HOTEL THERMAL festival center that is hosting the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival’s participants for more than 50 years, contributed greatly to the establishment of the mutually beneficial relations between Ukrainian and international cinema makers.

The Head of the Ukrainian State Film Agency, Philip Illienko, introduced the state of modern cinema 9industry in Ukraine to the quests of the reception and outlined the prospects of the joint cinema projects realization in cooperation with Ukrainian producers and directors. “For our cinema, the cooperation with our closest neighbors is crucial. That’s why the participation of Ukraine in the biggest film festival in the Eastern Europe was essential. And we are grateful to Igor Iankovskyi for the support of our initiatives”.

One notion has been dominating the discussions: that the cooperation of Ukrainian cinema-makers with their European colleagues should considerably boost the development of Ukrainian cinema industry. Furthermore, Ukrainian cinema production will get the opportunities to enter new international markets while the cinema-makers will be able to realize their projects in co-production.
Igor Iankovskyi noted that the international cooperation in cinema is the great momentum for the development of the cultural dialogue and dignified representation of Ukraine in Europe. “We consistently support Ukrainian cinema and we are planning to enhance these activities. Jointly with the Ukrainian State Film Agency we successfully conducted MEET UKRAINIAN PRODUCERS business-lunch in Cannes, organized the presentation of Ukrainian cinema in Karlovy Vary. I’m confident that in some time all these efforts will blossom into new bright movies”, - outlined Igor Iankovskyi.

After the official part of the presentation, all the interested in the situation in Ukraine could view the documentary “Ridni” (“Blood relations”) by Vitaliy Manskyi, that represents Ukraine in the official contest program of the festival. Made in co-production of four European countries (Ukraine, Germany, Estonia and Latvia), this international project has been also supported by the TV-channels of six countries, which brought it to the truly multinational status. And due to the support of philanthropist Igor Iankovskyi the movie premiere in Karlovy Vary could be attended by the camera-crew members, including its leading character, played by the mother of Vitaliy Manskyi from Lviv.

The movie tells an unordinary story of Ukrainian family, based on true facts of the director’s family himself. His family has been divided into pieces by the conflict around the annexation of the Crimea and the war in Eastern Ukraine. Through the life of one family the director showed the tragedy of Ukrainian society. Forced into living on different sides of the barricades, the citizens of the country, being the blood relatives, are struggling for the way out of this situation.