The British Council and the Ukrainian Institute have opened the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture with a Ukraine focus programme ‘Password: Palianytsia’ at UK’s leading documentary film festival Sheffield DocFest, from 23 to 28 June 2022, in collaboration with the Docudays UA film festival (Kyiv, Ukraine).
In June 2022, we officially launched the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture at Sheffield DocFest – bringing together a delegation of Ukrainian filmmakers. Through a series of short videos, we asked for their perspectives on the Ukrainian film industry – including how the war has affected their work, the industry’s future, and the importance of representing their country internationally.
Ukrainian Documentary Programme at Sheffield DocFest
The British Council and the Ukrainian Institute have opened the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture with a Ukraine focus programme ‘Password: Palianytsia’ at UK’s leading documentary film festival Sheffield DocFest, from 23 to 28 June 2022, in collaboration with the Docudays UA film festival (Kyiv, Ukraine).
In June 2022, we officially launched the UK/Ukraine Season of Culture at Sheffield DocFest – bringing together a delegation of Ukrainian filmmakers. Through a series of short videos, we asked for their perspectives on the Ukrainian film industry – including how the war has affected their work, the industry’s future, and the importance of representing their country internationally.
The world premiere of ‘One Day in Ukraine’, by media activist and filmmaking collective Babylon’13 launched the programme. This co-created film centres on a single day during the war in Ukraine, March 14, 2022.
The Ukraine focus included work across Sheffield DocFest’s film programme, Alternate Realities exhibition, industry programme and Talks and Sessions with:
- four feature documentaries in Sheffield DocFest Official Selection
- four feature documentaries from Docudays UA Official Competition
- VR (virtual reality), art and TikTok works in Alternate Realities exhibition
- five projects in development selected for Sheffield DocFest’s MeetMarket
- three projects in Works-in-Progress in partnership with the Ukrainian Institute
This comprehensive showcase was an expression of Sheffield DocFest’s solidarity with Ukraine that provided a powerful encounter with contemporary Ukrainian life – including the horrific reality of this war. It has created a space in which Ukrainian filmmakers and artists could continue to have their work seen, develop new projects, and keep Ukrainian culture alive.
As part of the UK/Ukraine Season, the British Council has supported a delegation of Ukrainian filmmakers and artists to present their documentary films, VR and artwork, participate in the Sheffield DocFest industry meetings and panels, and pitch their works-in-progress and documentary projects in development.