Matthijs Wouter Knol, director of the European Film Academy (EFA) has expressed the solidarity of EFA’s 4,000-plus membership and its board with all of the Ukrainian people, including the 61 who are EFA members.
“While we have been aware of the ongoing political and military escalation in the Eastern part of Ukraine for many years, which first gained international attention with the annexation of Crimea in 2014, we do realise that the current events and daily increase of tension has an impact on filmmakers’ lives and health, morale, and creative work,” Knol said.
“The European Film Academy was founded in 1989 by filmmakers from Eastern and Western Europe, with the aim to strengthen and promote the cinema in our part of the world and unite filmmakers from all parts of Europe. The language of European cinema has always been shaped by important values. Human dignity, freedom, democracy, equality, rule of law, and human rights are key elements in creating the best circumstances for filmmakers to work. As an Academy and through our work, we strongly advocate for these values and protest against any violation.”
“We will stay alert and are in touch with our Ukrainian members and those in neighbouring countries, and we will support all those affected in the best way we can,” Knol declared.
Cinema closures
As Russia begins its invasion of Ukraine, it is not known how many cinemas in the country will stay open.
Ukraine’s biggest exhibitor MULTIPLEX, with 28 sites, is not taking any bookings until Saturday (February 26), whilst the renowned Zhovten arthouse cinema in Kyiv posted on its social media channels that it was closed today “due to the imposition of the martial law”.
Meanwhile, Kyiv-based distributor Arthouse Traffic has committed to support the Ukrainian army by making a donation from every cinema ticket sold for Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov’s crime drama Rhino from today (February 24).
10 Hryvni* (equivalent to 25p sterling) will be donated from each cinema ticket to the “Come Back Alive” Foundation which helps Ukrainian veterans and the military who are fighting in the Donbas region. The average price of a cinema ticket in Ukraine is 120 Hryvni.
Rhino was given a wide release in cinemas throughout Ukraine on February 17, including 30 screens in Kyiv, and posted over 3.68m Hrvyni ($123,000) in its first weekend.
.jpg){kind=link}
No comments yet