As Russia's invasion of Ukraine continued, a Ukrainian film screening was held in Tokyo on the night of the 29th to help filmmakers involved in the war.
At the screening, a video message was sent from the director who continues to shoot documentaries locally, saying, "I am deeply grateful to the people who gave me the opportunity to share my pain."
This screening was planned by volunteers involved in movies in Japan by soliciting support funds through cloud funding. On the 29th, Ukrainian director Valentyn Vasyanovic at the movie theater "Eurospace" in Shibuya, Tokyo. The 2019 work "Atlantis" was screened.
Set in the devastated Ukraine of 2025, when the war with Russia ended, the film tells the story of a man who was injured in the war and a woman who was in charge of identifying the soldier's body.
A video message from the director, who is still filming war documentaries in Ukraine before the screening, said, "Support from Japan and the rest of the world is important to all of us in difficult times. Share my pain. I am deeply grateful to the people who gave me the opportunity to do it. I was able to tell the world that there was a war against the ugly monsters that must be buried, "said the audience with applause.
The donations will be raised until the 12th of next month, and the collected money will be donated to an organization that supports Ukrainian filmmakers after deducting the expenses for the screening.
A man in his fifties who watched the movie said, "The director's message said that he was victorious, but when he saw the movie, victory did not mean defeating Russia, but regaining his normal appearance. I received it. "
A woman in her 40s said, "I came to see Ukraine because I wanted to know about it. I think I will need a movie very much after the war, so I want you to take advantage of this support."
The screening will be held on the 30th and 31st.