Philippines joins worldwide film screening of Ludzie in solidarity with Ukraine

Photo ©Jan Lemiech

The Philippines joins more than 30 countries in the worldwide screening of the film Ludzie (People) in commemoration of the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Directed by Polish filmmakers Maciej Ślesicki and Filip Hillesland, Ludzie is the first feature film about the war in Ukraine. The film features an all Ukrainian cast led by Afina Ostapenko, Mariia Shtofa, Oksana Cherkashyna, Tetiana Yurikova, and Nina Naboka as well as Cezart Pazura.

The film focuses on the lives of five women sharing the experience of war, emphasizing the women's point of view as well as their courage, strength, and perseverance which is often overlooked in films depicting military conflicts.

I have frequently announced my plans to stop making any more films, but something made me go back on my promise. Cruelty and bestiality of Russians who invaded Ukraine made me furious. I guess that this sense of helplessness and injustice, mixed with anger, are the best motivation for a film director to make a movie. The script I wrote is based on true events; all I had to do was to combine them into a whole. Civilians are the group most affected by absurdity and cruelty of war. The film is an attempt to help others see the war through their eyes.

- Maciej Ślesicki, producer and director

Photo ©Jan Lemiech

At the end of the day, each global crisis translates into suffering of local ordinary people: mothers, sons, daughters, fathers, grandfathers, lovers and neighbours. This film is about them. They are suddenly forced to make unimaginable decisions of critical importance, where both life and human dignity are at stake. Unfortunately, we tend to forget about the fact that such tragic events take place every day beyond our Eastern border. We all have our own lives to live, our own reality and problems. It is normal that we grow indifferent with time. Now and then, empathy needs a booster. I hope that this film will provide this much needed stimulus. I hope it will trigger empathy.

- Filip Hillesland, director

The free public screening of Ludzie will be on February 24, 2025, 3:00 PM at Cinema 3 of Red Carpet Cinema, Shangri-La Plaza in Mandaluyong.

Ludzie is produced by the Warsaw Film School and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute. The Philippine screening is presented by the Embassy of Poland in Manila, the Embassy of Ukraine in the Philippines, the Delegation of the European Union in the Philippines, the Film Development Council of the Philippines, and the Shangri-La Plaza.  

Ludzie | People (2024)

Directors: Maciej Ślesicki, Filip Hillesland

Cast: Mariia Shtofa, Cezary Pazura, Oksana Cherkashyna, Afina Ostapenko, Daniel Dziubynskyi, Hryhorii Horobchuk, Tetyana Yurikova, Nina Naboka, Oleksandr Yarema

When war breaks out in Ukraine, five women are forced to take up a desperate fight to save themselves and their loved ones. A doctor who faces a huge moral dilemma. A blind girl who becomes a carer for a group of orphans. A teenager who tries to save her little sister at all costs. An elderly woman who loses her husband after many years of living together. A mother who goes to the front to find her son. Their intertwined fates combine into a symbolic story about humanity, and remind us that war is just around the corner.

Showing solidarity with Ukraine through arts and culture

Slava Ukraini!

Last year, the invasion of Ukraine by Russian forces dominated the headlines. The war still rages on but it is no longer as reported like before especially in local news programs.

To mark the first anniversary of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, the Embassies of France and Germany presented a screening of On the Trail of War Crimes: Murder of Ukrainian Civilians a documentary by German war journalist Carsten Stormer investigating Russia's war crimes against Ukrainian civilians.

Carsten Stormer

The screening was followed by a testimony by Lidiia Koval, a Ukrainian volunteer of the We Save Ukraine Foundation. She gave a personal account of how her city was shelled by Russian forces and also detailed how the foundation helps refugees and soldiers on the frontline.

Both the documentary and Lidiia's story serve as a reminder that although the war may no longer dominate the headlines, it still goes on. That is not only the people of Ukraine who suffer, but the rest of the world as well. Ukraine is one of the Philippines' sources of grain and the war has only made the supply more scarce and prices higher.

Lidiia Koval (right) and Anna Adams (left)

The event was also an opportunity to get acquainted with the small Ukrainian community in the Philippines. Although far away from their homeland, they remain defiant and firmly believe that they will end up victorious in this war.

Since the war began, there has been a movement to make people aware that Ukraine and its people are separate and distinct from Russia. The drive to de-Russify Ukrainian art and culture has brought some surprising discoveries.

For example, music composers like Mikola (Nikolai) Kapustin and Reinhold Glière have been considered as Russians for decades. But now, they are starting to be referred to as Ukrainians with Kapustin now having the name Mikola instead of Nikolai. The same can be said about visual artists like Kazmir Malevich, Arkhyp Kuindzhi, and Ivan Aivazovsky as galleries worldwide have been referring to them as Ukrainians too.

Learning and appreciating Ukrainian arts and culture is a way of showing solidarity with its people. Recognizing Ukraine's culture and heritage means standing up against its aggressors. Slava Ukraini!

Special thanks to Arthur Tselishchev for the introductions to Ukrainian visual art and folk/world music. Not only is he a model, but he is also a painter. Check out his works at https://www.arthur-ts.com/.

Below are some videos and music showcasing Ukrainian culture.

First is a performance by the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine conducted by Oksana Lyniv during their performance at last year's Beethovenfest in Bonne, Germany. The concert also features Ukrainian pianist Dmiytro Choni. Performed at the concert are a couple of works by Ukrainian composers namely Victoria Poleva and Borys Lyatoshynsky.

DakhaBrakha is a Ukrainian quartet formed in 2004. Their discography cannot be easily categorized, think of it as world music with a unique Ukrainian folk music flavor. Below is their latest album Alambari.