Pairing six historical and contemporary retrospective titles across three weeks, the Melbourne Cinémathèque celebrates some of Ukraine’s greatest films of all time.
In curating this program, the Melbourne Cinémathèque takes the opportunity to commemorate Ukraine’s 100-years of feature filmmaking, bring to light the endangered Ukrainian National Film Archive (Dovzhenko Centre), and invite Cinémathèque enthusiasts to return for this important presentation of works.
What you need to know
- The Melbourne Cinémathèque has announced a season dedicated to Ukranian masterpieces
- They’re showing six films over three weeks from July 20 until August 3
- A not-for-profit, volunteer run society, Melbourne Cinémathèque runs out of ACMI
Keep up with the latest Melbourne film and television news here.
The program is made possible by the Dovzhenko Centre, whereby a portion of the season’s proceeds will be donated to help the prosperity of the institution affected by Russia’s invasion. Program spokesperson Cerise Howard (Czech & Slovak Film Festival co-founder) said, “putting together a program to do justice to the brilliance of the greatest Ukrainian cinema, that would collectively speak to the nation’s past, future and, importantly, its terribly parlous present, required the cooperation of several parties locally and abroad – in particular, the wonderful people at the beleaguered Dovzhenko Centre. We invite all Melbourne film lovers to join us in celebrating Ukrainian cinema during this tragic time for the people of Ukraine.
The rich program features three landmark titles from the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic era (1922–1991) and three critically acclaimed contemporary titles from the 21st century. The program boasts three incredibly remarkable “silent” films from both eras, one of which is delivered in sign language. With respect to Ukraine’s centenary of films, the carefully chosen paired films embrace the nation’s unique style and voice whilst juxtaposing Soviet and post-Maiden eras.
What’s on:
Wednesday 20 July
7:00pm Shadows Of Forgotten Ancestors (1965) 99 mins – Unclassified 15+
8:55pm Atlantis (2019) 106 mins – Unclassified 15+
Wednesday 27 July
7:00pm Earth (1930) 83 mins – Unclassified 15+
8:35pm The Tribe (2014) 126 mins – R18+
Wednesday 3 August
7:00pm Brief Encounters (1967) 98 mins – Unclassified 15+
8:50pm Volcano (2018) 106 mins – Unclassified 15+
Melbourne Cinematheque screens Masterpieces of Ukrainian Cinema from 20 July – 3 August every Wednesday at ACMI. Full and mini memberships to the season are available via ACMI.
