Breathe freely

Recently, there was a genuine full house at the Cinema House in Kyiv. The viewers came to see short films by the artistic association of young Ukrainian cinematographers “Vilni” (The Free Ones). There were so many visitors that the Blue Hall turned out to be too small to host them all. Some viewers enjoyed the films throughout the screening just as they would at home, sitting on the floor, which gave the event a romantic air.

Members of the creative association “Vilni” have graduated from the Institute of Screen Arts at the Karpenko-Kary National University of Theater, Cinema, and Television. They were Vasyl Viter’s students.

A total of 11 films by the new generation of Ukrainian filmmakers feature a broad palette of genres, from psychological thriller to light comedy. There are also films dedicated to Taras Shevchenko’s 200th birthday anniversary and a documentary shot at Maidan in 2013-14. For the most part, these are feature films in which directors, script writers, actors, composers, artists, camera and sound operators assert their professionalism and readiness to make a contribution to the development of Ukrainian cinematography.

“I think that something new must sprout from every artistic union of this kind. Of course, not every case will necessarily be successful, but these waves of promotion of Ukrainian cinematography are a good thing. This means that it might revive. We lost the audience, the audience turned to British and American films. Now a lot of Russian TV series are banned, but what is there to show instead of them? Actually, I think that these works by young filmmakers can replace them. They were produced in Ukraine, they are new, they are ready for broadcast,” said director Vasyl VITER during the event.

According to him, this year’s graduates are unique and remarkable, because even as they differ in esthetic tastes and expectations, they help and support each other, participate in each other’s projects, discuss them, write scripts together, etc. “The films we offered to the audience are like bridal gowns, everyone has a unique taste, but everyone will be able to find something to their liking” the director added.

“I liked films Yak Shevchenko shukav roboty [“How Shevchenko Was Looking for Work,” directed by Arsenii Bortnyk. – Ed.] and Kazka pro Katerynu [“A Tale of Kateryna,” directed by Natalia Naienko. – Ed.] the most. Their directors possess a divine sense of style. However, as for me, they used too much folk singing,” head of the National Union of Cinematographers Serhii TRYMBACH shared. “Undoubtedly, some works are better, some are worse, but I got an impression these people are talented. You know, I have a futile aspiration to teach our MPs to watch Ukrainian films once or twice per week. They say that Ukrainian cinematography does not exist, they do not realize it actually does, and is being reborn right now. But this does not mean we must depend on them. These young directors are doing a great job, because they teamed up, they should hold on to each other and confidently continue doing what they do.”

“At almost all films that were presented at this year’s GogolFest, charity screenings were organized and money was raised for the Anti-Terrorist Operation within the action “Charity Film Tourism.” All of them are very active, talented, and great organizers. For example, Valeria Sochyvets [director of Zneboliuvalne (Painkiller). – Ed.] organizes shows in small clubs or classrooms. Even though only 15 to 30 people come to each of such events, they are moving towards the audience,” noted founder of VIATEL Studio Halyna KRYVORCHUK. “Our goal is to broadcast these films on TV channels, we are preparing necessary documentation, so they should appear on TV soon. We also conduct negotiations to show films as an almanac in Zhovten Cinema. Organizers of Molodist Festival offered to show the film Oblychia [“Faces,” directed by Nikon Romanchenko. – Ed.] there; this film is about Maidan. In general, these young directors’ energy is transmitted through the screen, and the audience feels it. I think that the new era of Ukrainian cinematography started long ago, perhaps, not everyone feels and sees it. I want to emphasize that this is the generation that will create the country as they see and sense it.”

Also Kryvorchuk noted that the seventh competition of projects for the Program of Production and Distribution of National Films for 2015-16 was announced, and several of this year’s graduates have their own script and are ready to submit it. By the way, one more graduate from Viter’s class, Iryna Pravylo, is shooting her third film in Italy, and she also wants to submit an application for state cinematography with this project.

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While presenting their almanac, young cinematographers gladly shared their emotions and impressions. As The Day wrote before, Arsenii Bortnyk, director of How Shevchenko Was Looking for Work, toured around the country with Charity Film Tourism and showed his and other directors’ films in order to raise funds for the ATO. “We raised 7,000 hryvnias in Radyvyliv, around 2,000 in Brody, 1,000 in Kolomyia. All money was sent to the needs of the ATO. Now we plan shows in Drohobych and Kamianets-Podilsky,” Bortnyk comments.

How long did the making of the film take?

“It took one academic year to shoot my film, but since I had to study, and then Maidan started, everything was delayed. If you talk about shooting only, it took only three months.”

Please, tell us about your association “Vilni.”

“The association ‘Vilni’ includes everyone from Vasyl Viter’s workshop. We learned from him and graduated under his guidance. This association has existed since we started working together, from our freshman year. We introduced ourselves in different ways: a training course, Vasyl Viter workshop course, and yet we could not come up with a precise name. But when we graduated, when we created this almanac, we gave some thought to the name. Why Vilni, the free ones? The name has a lot of meanings: firstly, because all of us were already born in a free Ukraine, we were also free because we graduated from the university, free, because the new time has come.”

Was the shooting hard for you?

“To be honest, it was quite hard in all aspects. For example, we invited our famous actors, they accepted our proposals, it was fine, but they worked for free and it was hard to get them all together. When nobody owes anything to you and you motivate people by enthusiasm only, you cannot put pressure on them. An actor can call before the shooting and say: ‘Sorry, I can’t make it,’ and there is nothing you can tell him. Another problem is renting studios. There are studios with 20,000 hryvnias rate for a shift of shooting (10 hours), while the total film’s budget is less than that, so we have to invest our own money. There are loyal people, who are open for barter deals: they give us a studio and we shoot a video for them.”

What film would you make if you were given the money for it?

“If I had money, I would shoot a typical movie, a good, simple Ukrainian story. Not an American one, but ours, understandable for our mentality. No more Hemingway, whose stories everyone adapts, we also have good writers. I would also have it shown in cinemas, so it would make money, and only then, when I have the means, I will shoot what I like. In our country everything is the other way around for some reason. You shoot something amazing, people don’t understand it, your rating is low, and you are a kind of a cool art house director, nobody wants to invest in your projects. But you need money to survive, so you go and film weddings, that is the reality.

“When I was making my film, I thought, the film is about Shevchenko, it is dedicated to his 200th birthday anniversary, the script is based on a work by Makovei, an author from Lviv, I will find a sponsor fast, we will promote the film, invite actors, make one version for the graduation project and another for cinemas. But nobody wanted to participate. We need people to take risks and invest in Ukrainian cinematography.”