‘Survival mode: the Ukrainian cinema after 2022’ with Daria Badior | Kino 2026

In this seminar, we will talk about the state of Ukrainian cinema since the beginning of the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Ukrainian cinema was already sliding into a crisis in 2022, after two years of Covid, ongoing war, and the internal tensions within the industry.

Nevertheless, when the time came to present Ukraine internationally and advocate for the country’s interests and safety, there was a lot to show. Each major film festival in Europe (and several in the US) selected new Ukrainian films in competitions, one of the films even won an Oscar and BAFTA for Best Documentary, and new Ukrainian productions got financed with the enormous support of European colleagues.

Let us discuss the role of film festivals and NGOs, film critics and curators in times of crisis which jeopardise not only the film industry, but the country itself. What is the impact of cinema in hard times? Can an Oscar make a difference? What does having war in one’s country mean for a film professional?

Daria Badior is a journalist, film critic, editor, co-curator at Kyiv Critics’ Week film festival. She is also a member of the European Film Academy.

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See all eight Kino seminars here.