Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, “Ukrainian Context”: We can’t wish you happy watching!

In a week the Fourth International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival, “Ukrainian Context” begins in Kyiv. It will run from 30 March to 6 April.

There is an even greater number of films this year on a wide spectrum of problems and issues touching our lives or existing near us.

According to the festival producer Gennady Kofman, the films are not easy, providing thought-provoking and gripping viewing. In short, not the sort of films you watch munching a packet of crisps, nor where you’d wish somebody “happy viewing”. After all the producers don’t make anything up, they show things as they are.

Representing the International Renaissance Foundation, Roman Romanov named the key rule of the festival the total lack of censorship. The authors can express diametrically opposite points of view about the same issue.

For the first time, the films are to be shown not only in the Kyiv House of Cinema (Saksahansky St, 6), but in the cinema club of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy (Naberezhno-Khreshchatyk, 27) and in the viewing halls of the Goethe Institute and the British Council. Unlike previous years, the sessions will all be in the second half of the day.

By tradition, there will be an international human rights jury made up of prominent human rights defenders from Ukraine, Belarus and Russia. A new feature this year is a media jury made up of: Larisa Bryukhovetska – Chief Editor of the Journal “Kino-Teatr”; Roman Chaika from TV 5; Maxim Butkevych (1 + 1); Taras Ratushny (NTN) and Kyrylo Bulkin from Radio “Svoboda” [Radio Liberty].

There will also be various meetings, discussions and seminars during the festival. A particular feature will be a master class on documentaries. On the basis of the work produced at this, some participants will be invited to Krakow to defend their projects and receive financing from leading European channels.