Description
The program examines how the image and myth of the Donbas were shaped and transformed in Ukrainian cinema during the first half of the 20th century. This retrospective helps bridge the gap between avant-garde enthusiasm for industrialization and a critical reflection on the Soviet legacy—from World War II to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War. These films invite viewers to see the Donbas not as a periphery or a "gray zone," but as an integral part of Ukrainian history, culture, and the broader European experience.
Each screening will feature an introductory talk and discussion led by film expert Anna Onufriienko and external moderator, highlighting the historical context, film language, and contemporary significance of the works.
Anna Onufriienko is a cultural studies researcher, film historian, and curator specializing in Soviet cinema, visual propaganda, and cinematic representations of the Donbas region. From 2014 to 2022, she served as a film critic and programmer at the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre, co-curating major retrospective projects like VUFKU. Lost & Found. Her work on Soviet and industrial media history includes co-editing the book Cinematographic Revision of Donbas (2015, 2018), co-editing the DVD set Chornobyl [in]Visible (2017), and co-directing the montage film project Atomopolis. Assembling Utopia (2016).
All descriptions and materials presented above are provided by the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre (Dovzhenko Centre), a partner of these screenings.
Partner
Films in this programme
Documentary · Ukrainian SSR · 1930
Dziga Vertov · 65'
An audiovisual symphony capturing the industrial, agricultural, and cultural life of the Donbas region during the first Soviet Five-Year Plan. The film places a strong emphasis on anti-religious campaigns, propaganda marches, and physical culture of the era. It stands as the first sound film in Ukrainian cinema history.
Long ago, Ostap's father left a poverty-stricken village to seek work in the Donbas region. The house built by Nikanor laid the foundation for the mining settlement of Sobacheyevka. Ostap followed in his father's footsteps, working thirty years for the mine owner. But when his father was dismissed, Ostap realized it was pointless to blame management alone for their hardship. Upon meeting the revolutionary worker Harbuz (Aleksandr Antonov), he becomes one of the leaders of the revolutionary movement among the Donbas miners.
Fiction · Ukrainian SSR · 1962
Serhiy Parajanov, Anatoliy Slisarenko · 75'
In a young town under construction in the middle of the Donets steppe, Hryhoriy Hryva, a miner with a complex character, falls in love with Lyuda, an idealistic activist who does not reciprocate his feelings. A parallel plotline follows another couple whose love is tested by a local religious sect.
