Welcome to "Ukraine Known Unknown," a project that aims to shed light on some of the lesser-known yet personalities in the Ukrainian cultural scene.
"Ukraine Known Unknown", founded by Ukrainian Film Festival Berlin, is a three-day series of documentaries, dedicated to prominent but still unknown figures of Ukrainian culture & art. During the years of russian colonial policy, repressions, and cultural expansion some of these names were forbidden, and forgotten, works of these geniuses of Ukrainian culture were hidden, so even in Ukraine some of these names were just discovered. Some of the characters in our films became great and worldwide famous. But still, they were represented as russian or Soviet artists or musicians, but not Ukrainian.
Through "Ukraine Known Unknown," we hope to bring attention to these talented artists and provide a platform for their work to be appreciated by a wider audience. We invite you to explore their stories and immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Ukrainian culture & art.
All films will be followed by short introductory lectures conducted by Ukrainian and international experts in the field of music, art, cultural heritage, and literature.
Entrance is free, by registration. Donations are welcome!
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April 21, 19:00 | ACUDkino
V.Silvestrov by Serhiy Bukovsky | 2020 | 143’
The documentary “V.Silvestrov,” dedicated to this brilliant Ukrainian composer, is far from a traditional biopic about a prominent person. It is an observation, a confession, and, most of all, a story of great talent set against the backdrop of uncertain times.
Of course, film authors pay tribute to the composer’s creative techniques: avant-garde of the 1960s, forced into the underground at the times of socialist realism, postmodernism (his main obsession during the 1970s), metaphorical music, and contemporary pieces that charm audiences around the world. But it is also a personal story of a genius mind with its oddity, curiosity, and emotional depth.
The film is followed by "V.Silvestrov. The deeply touching film about the music of gratitude and hope" introduction lecture by musicologist Maria Khrapatcheva.
With time - against time: the composer Valentyn Sylvestrov
«V. Sylvestrov» is a very special documentary film. This is not just a simple way of portraying the personality of the composer and his aesthetic intentions. Rather, the film forms an artistic equivalent of the composer's musical messages and promotes attitudes in the recipient that are necessary for encountering his music. In my small contribution, I try to reflect on these attitudes and contribute to the understanding of the message of Valentyn Sylvestrov.
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April 22, 19:00 | ACUDkino
ADA by Alina Matochkina | 2022 | 92’
In 1986, in Kyiv, Ukraine, the largest work of art in Europe - the Wall of Memory, was illegally destroyed. And along with it, the names of its two authors - Ada Rybachuk and Volodymyr Melnichenko, were erased from the history of art. For many years this story has been kept in the strictest confidence and is known only to a narrow circle of the creative elite. All attempts by the authors to achieve justice and to be heard, just lead to even greater resistance from the authorities against them. Their names are gradually crossed out under all major works, from the lists of Ukrainian artists, and to top it off. In 2004, their studio was illegally written off and tried to be taken away. For 8 years, the film crew has been watching how this story develops, the courage of Vladimir, who, despite his old age and other difficulties, continues his struggle, in the name of Ada and their joint creativity, and how he, with the participation of a new generation, achieves colossal results.
The film is followed by a lecture “Contradictions of the Ukrainian Soviet Cultural Heritage” by Zhenya Moliar, activist, and historian of arts.
“This film tells the story of one of the most significant phenomena of Ukrainian Soviet art. The biographies of Ada Rybachuk and Volodymyr Melnychenko reflect the complexity and paradox of the Soviet era in Ukraine. Today, Ukrainian Soviet art is often stigmatized as something imposed and hostile, as it is increasingly associated with Russia through the efforts of Kremlin propaganda. In reality, Ukrainian Soviet art is unique and multifaceted, and as much Ukrainian as it is Soviet” – Zhenya tells shortly about her lecture.
Yevheniia Moliar is an art historian. Studied at the National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture in Kyiv. Works on the cultural heritage of the Soviet period, in particular monumental art. Curated a project SOVIET MOSAICS IN UKRAINE. As member of the self-organized initiative DE NE DE study and preserve unrecognized and unobvious cultural heritage in Ukraine. Predoctoral fellow in The Bibliotheca Hertziana – Max Planck Institute for Art History in Rome.
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April 22, 21:00 | ACUDkino
Chubai. Speaking Again by Mykhailo Krupiievsky | 2023 | 103’
Hrytsko Chubai is a genius of Ukrainian poetry, a connoisseur of literature, art and music and the brightest representative of Lviv underground culture of late 60s early 70s. The documentary "Chubai. Speaking again" is made in the innovative genre of a theatre production. The action takes place in Hrytsko's basement workshop. The journey through the film is leads by the Ukrainian poet Serhiy Zhadan and features Hrytsko's family and friends. They share their reminisces, tell stories and read his poetry. Video projection onto the basement walls expands boundaries and brings the audience into the time and space portrayed.
The film is followed by the lecture of Valentina Zalevska, film curator and co-founder of the Ukrainian Film Festival Berlin.
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April 23, 19:00 | ACUDkino
Malevich by Volodymyr Lutskyi and Igor Malakhov | 2019 | 89’
The documentary tells about the famous artist Kazimir Malevich and his influence on the art of the 20th century. The main purpose of the painting is to show and explore Malevich's Ukrainian origins, the influence of Ukrainian culture on the formation of his personality, and directly on his work, as well as to return Malevich's name to Ukrainian culture. The viewer will have a unique opportunity to see a screenplay of a Suprematist movie written by the artist back in 1930, see little-known archival footage of the artist, photos of his paintings with the addition of computer graphics, hear the memories of relatives, as well as numerous art historians, gallerists and architects from Ukraine, Poland, the Netherlands, Belarus, France.
The film is followed by the lecture “Ukrainian Avant-garde in social-political сontext” by Oksana Semenik.
The story of the advocacy campaign by Oksana Semenik by herself, art historian, journalist, and author of the channel “Ukrainian art history” on Twitter. Oksana will tell us about Ukrainian avant-garde (Kazymyr Malevych, Oleksandra Exter, Davyd Burliuk, Sonya Delone-Terk, etc) and its connections to traditional culture and the European art scene. But also about the true story of the repressions of the artists and Ukrainian culture by the Soviet government. She will also tell about the decolonization of Ukrainian art and why most people heard just about Russian avant-garde, but never about Ukrainian one.
Oksana Semenik is an art historian, journalist, researcher, and creator of the Twitter account “Ukrainian art history” (@ukr_arthistory). Last year, she worked at Zimmerli Museum as an assistant curator and researcher. She studied Art history at the Taras Shevchenko Kyiv University and Rutgers (NJ). Her thesis topic is the Image of the Chornobyl catastrophe in Ukrainian art. Now she is advocating changes in European and U.S. museum collections due to the correct attribution of Ukrainian artists. Based in Kyiv, Ukraine.
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April 23, 21:00 | ACUDkino
A Portrait on the Background of Mountains by Max Rudenko | 2019 | 85’
A contemporary Fayum portrait, the magic of place and faces. For thirty years in the Carpathian village of Kryvorivnia a woman named Paraska Plytka-Horytsvit photographed people and the place where she lived. In 2015, some artists from Kyiv found a box with her negatives. This is a story about the mysterious connection between the present and the past, as reflected in the photo negatives discovered by chance.
The film is followed by a lecture by Anna Datsyuk - film critic, curator of the Kyiv Critic's Week film festival, host of film podcasts on Radio Podil, and manager of film content on the Ukrainian streaming service Sweet.tv.
We’ll talk about how the film was made and how it began with the accidental discovery of an archive of old photo negatives in 2015 and later grew into a real transmedia project with a documentary film, a series of exhibitions, and publications. The movie itself connects the present and the past, reflected in randomly found photographs. The figure of Paraska Plytka-Horytsvit acquired a certain mythological status now, which we’ll discuss in a matter of Ukrainian identity topic. Maksym Rudenko's film examines the timelessness of Hutsulshchyna, imprinted in her pictures. And the original music and editing work for this story is an exploration of time with a lucid dreaming feeling.