The East. Documentary Shorts. Film Screenings in Support of Ukraine

On 24th February 2022, Russia launched a large-scale military invasion of Ukraine. However, the east of the country felt the breath of the war for the last 8 years. In this film selection, we chose 4 documentaries about dreams, memories, the beauty of cities and villages near the battle line in the time of so-called peace.

• ME AND MARIUPOL •
Piotr Armianovski, 2017, 10’
“For the first time, I saw the sea in Mariupol. I think this town has a fairy tale. After 20 years I am going to find it.”

• MA •
Maria Stoianova, 2016, 17’
Mom is feeding birds from the window of her high-rise building in Mariupol, and growing queen apples in her summerhouse near the battle line. To show her simple life, she shoots videos on her small camera for her daughter, who lives in the capital and is hard to reach. To try to keep the conversation going, she feeds her overgrown child with morel mushrooms and fairytales.

• TERRITORY OF EMPTY WINDOWS •
Zoya Laktionova, 2020, 10’
World War II and the plant caused my mother's family to move to Mariupol. The war with Russia and the environmental consequences of the plant's operation play a key role in its future life.

• MUSTARD IN THE GARDEN •
Piotr Armianovski, 2017, 37’
Оlena goes home, to a village at the war-line in the Donetsk region, a so-called “grey zone” between Ukraine and pro-Russian fighters, where she spent her childhood. In the garden her brother to prevent growing weeds planted mustard. The girl lies down in a barbed grass and reminds how great and tasty were in the past the apricots, cherries, pears, cherries.

*All the raised funds will be transferred to the "Come Back Alive" charity (www.comebackalive.in.ua)