Oleksandr Petrovskyi's Solidarity Foundation has been instrumental in producing "Atlantis," a film now hailed as a Ukrainian cinematic masterpiece. This year, the foundation also contributed to "Slovo House. Unfinished Novel," further solidifying its dedication to Ukrainian film development. But what drives these philanthropic investments in the development of Ukrainian cinema?
"Slovo House": Long Path to Reach the Masses
Directed by Taras Tomenko, "Slovo House. Unfinished Novel," premiered globally in October 2021 at the Warsaw Film Festival. Its journey to a broader Ukrainian audience has been delayed due to the outbreak of full-scale Russian aggression. Esteemed film critic Alex Malyshenko featured it in his list of the 15 most anticipated Ukrainian films of 2024, under the theme "Remnants of the Past," a reference to most of these films being created before the full-scale invasion on February 24, 2022.
In Ukraine, "Slovo House. Unfinished Novel" made its debut at the Mykolaychuk OPEN Film Festival in Chernivtsi in June 2022. The film embarked on an international festival tour, gracing screens in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Czech Republic, and various Ukrainian cities (Molodist, Kharkiv MeetDocs). It received the top prize at the Kosice International Film Festival in Slovakia and won four awards at I Will Tell film festival in Florida.
However, a standout moment was its screening on February 24, commemorating the anniversary of the large-scale Russian invasion, in the historic Lithuanian Seimas hall. This significant event was attended by high-ranking members of the Lithuanian parliament, including one of the “fathers” of Lithuanian independence Vytautas Landsbergis. Equally symbolic was the film's July 2022 "premiere" in Kharkiv, hosted in an art center's shelter. This screening held profound meaning, occurring when Kharkiv, the film's setting, endured relentless bombardment by Russian forces. Tragically, on March 7, 2022, a Russian artillery strike damaged the actual Slovo House, a historic building in Kharkiv that housed prominent Ukrainian writers in the 1920s and 1930s, known as the "Executed Renaissance" generation.
Screening of the film "Slovo House. Unfinished Novel" in the Seimas of Lithuania, February 24, 2023. Photo: LRT
"Slovo House. Unfinished Novel" stands as the first feature film dedicated to the Executed Renaissance. It vividly portrays a spectrum of Ukrainian artists, such as Pavlo Tychyna and Volodymyr Sosiura, who are well-known to many Ukrainians, along with figures emerging from historical obscurity like Mike Johansen, Mykhailo Semenko, and Raisa Troianker. These individuals were trapped in what initially seemed like a protective environment created by Stalin, which gradually turned into a death trap. The film explores their different reactions to key events in Ukrainian history: the Holodomor-Genocide, political repressions, and forced collectivization. While the film doesn't center on a singular hero, Mykola Khvylovyi, the era's leading literary figure, emerges prominently, depicting his transformation from a committed communist to a fighter against the totalitarian system.
Solidarity Foundation: Support for Ukrainian Military Cinema
The film's creation spanned eight years, involving extensive research and archival exploration. In 2017, "Slovo House" a documentary precursor to the feature film, was released. Directed by Taras Tomenko and co-written by Tomenko and Liubov Yakymchuk, produced by Yulia Cherniavska and Oleh Shcherbyna, and produced by Fresh Production Group, it received critical acclaim and was honored with the prestigious Golden Dzyga National Film Award. The collected materials for the documentary then laid the groundwork for the feature film.
The project's budget exceeded 60 million hryvnias, a considerable amount in the Ukrainian film industry. The Ukrainian State Film Agency contributed around half of this sum. Nonetheless, the film's ambitious vision would not have been achievable without the support of private investment. The Solidarity International Charitable Foundation contributed significantly to make the project a reality.
Oleksandr Petrovskyi, president of the Solidarity International Charitable Foundation, is a respected businessman and philanthropist from Dnipro and a catechist in the Dnipro Diocese of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine. His foundation is known for its active support of humanitarian initiatives, including Ukrainian film production. A notable project backed by the foundation was the feature film "Atlantis" by Valentyn Vasyanovych. Released in 2019, "Atlantis" brought Ukraine one of the biggest successes in its history, winning at the Venice International Film Festival in the Horizons program.
Director Valentyn Vasyanovych holding the prize at the Venice Film Festival, September 2019
"Atlantis" is a dystopian film set in 2025, imagining a post-war Ukraine after defeating Russia. Despite the victory, the film depicts a grim future with war-ravaged Donbas, widespread poverty, and the struggles of veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war adapting to civilian life. Intriguingly, all roles in the film were played by non-professional actors, including real combatants.
The film aligns with the Solidarity Foundation's history of aiding frontline efforts and caring for veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war and their families, even before the full-scale invasion. Currently, Petrovskyi's foundation is supporting a unit in the International Legion of the Main Directorate of Intelligence, providing necessary supplies and specialized equipment.
Another significant contribution from the foundation is the documentary "Bound by Blood" by journalist Oleh Manchura, presented in Kyiv on May 9, 2022. The film focuses on Georgian volunteers in the Ukrainian Armed Forces, exemplifying military documentary production supported by the foundation. Alongside the film, a chronicle book by Oleh Manchura and Oleksandr Kucheruk was released, detailing the lives of Georgian heroes who died for Ukraine and exploring Ukrainian-Georgian relations through the lens of recent and historical conflicts.
The book "Bound by Blood". Photo from the presentation on May 9, 2023, at Ukrinform
Philanthropic Support Inspired by Family History
The link between personal history and philanthropy is evident in the Solidarity Foundation's support for films like "Slovo House. Unfinished Novel." This film, while not primarily a military story, takes place in the early 1930s, a period of significant struggle in Ukraine. During 1929-1932, Ukrainians resisted collectivization imposed by Russian communists, leading to widespread uprisings that mirrored a warlike conflict. In 1930 alone, over 4,000 armed revolts involving more than a million Ukrainians took place. A notable resistance center was Bodakva (now in Poltava Oblast), where over 800 residents, primarily from Cossack backgrounds, rebelled. This resistance was met with brutal retribution by communists during the 1932-1933: modern comprehensive forensic examinations have established that one of the causes of the Holodomor-Genocide was Moscow's attempt to suppress the Ukrainian national liberation movement.
Oleksandr Petrovskyi, the philanthropist behind the Solidarity Foundation, has a personal connection to this history. His maternal lineage traces back to the Bodakva Cossack family of Vovk, with six family members named in the National Book of Holodomor Victims. Honoring this legacy, the Foundation contributed to the 2021 renovation of the Hall of Memory of the National Museum of the Holodomor Genocide. The revamped exhibit meets top Western standards, featuring interactive displays, touchscreens, an audio guide, and a 3D-mapped multimedia installation. The installation, narrating the Holodomor through the eyes of a girl named Oksana and her family's experiences, adds a personal touch. Angelika Petrovska, representing the Solidarity International Charitable Foundation, oversaw this complex project. The updated exhibition opened its doors on September 7, 2021
The Oleksandr Petrovskyi Foundation's support for the film "Slovo House. An Unfinished Novel" is also part of the efforts to revitalize Ukrainian consciousness about the Stalinist genocide. While the Holodomor isn't the central theme of the movie, its impact is powerfully conveyed. The film contrasts the grim reality of a famine-stricken Ukrainian village against the backdrop of the "Stalinist paradise" at the Slovo House, where a bohemian lifestyle prevails despite the tragedy unfolding around them.
This investment by the founder of the Solidarity Foundation in Ukrainian historical and military cinema is deeply rooted in his family's past. It is an interesting example of how personal history can inspire the creation of significant artistic works that not only gain international acclaim but also become a treasured part of Ukraine's cultural heritage. Furthermore, these endeavors play a crucial role in shaping the collective identity of Ukrainians, sparking a "chain reaction" of cultural creation. We look forward to witnessing the ongoing impact and contributions of such initiatives.
Who we are: About us, Contacts. How we write news and our principles: Editorial code. We did our best. If you found this valuable – please support us.
To request a correction, please send an email.