The Presentation of the Ukrainian Сinema Has Been Held for the First Time in History of the 51st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival

Kiev, Ukraine, July 12, 2016 --(PR.com)-- The informal setting of the meeting, organized in the Hotel "Thermal" festival center that is hosting the Karlovy Vary International film festival’s participants for more than 50 years, contributed greatly to the establishment of the mutually beneficial relations between Ukrainian and international cinema makers.

The Head of the Ukrainian state film agency, Mr. Illienko, introduced the state of the modern cinema industry in the Ukraine to the quests of the reception and outlined the prospects of the joint cinema projects realized in cooperation with Ukrainian producers and directors. “For our cinema, this cooperation with our closest neighbors is crucial. That’s why Ukrainian participation in the biggest film festival of the Eastern Europe was essential. And we are grateful to Igor Iankovskyi for the good support of our initiatives.”

One notion has been dominating the discussions - the cooperation of Ukrainian cinema-makers with their European colleagues should considerably boost the development of the Ukrainian cinema industry. Furthermore, Ukrainian cinema production will have good opportunities to enter new international markets while cinema-makers will be able to realize their projects in co-production.

Igor Iankovskyi noted that international cooperation in cinema is great momentum for the development of the cultural dialogue and dignified representation of the Ukraine in Europe. “We consistently support Ukrainian cinema and we are planning to enhance these activities. Jointly with the Ukrainian State Film Agency we successfully conducted the special event 'Meet Ukrainian producers,' a business-lunch in Cannes, and organized the presentation of Ukrainian cinema in Karlovy Vary. I’m confident that in some time all these efforts will blossom into bright new movies,” outlined Igor Iankovskyi.

After the official part of the presentation, all those interested in the Ukraine situation could view the documentary movie (original named) “Ridni” (“The Blood relations”) by director Vitaliy Manskyi. That represents the Ukraine in the official contest program of the film festival. This movie made in co-production with four European countries (Ukraine, Germany, Estonia and Latvia), and this international project has been also supported by the TV-channels of 6 countries, which brought it to a truly multinational status. And due to the support of philanthropist Igor Iankovskyi, the movie premiere in Karlovy Vary could be attended by the camera-crew members, including its leading character, played by the mother of Vitaliy Manskyi.

This documentary movie tells an unordinary story of the Ukrainian family, based on true facts of the director’s family himself. His family has been divided into pieces by the conflict around the annexation of the Crimea and the war in Eastern Ukraine. Through the life of one family the director shows the tragedy within the Ukrainian society. Forced into living on different sides of the barricades, the citizens of the country, being the blood relatives, are struggling for the way out of this situation.