FREE UKRAINE FILM FESTIVAL AT CHAPTER ARTS CARDIFF

Mick Antoniw MS and Alun Davies MS are pleased to announce that a special Ukrainian Film Festival in support of Ukraine will take place at Chapter Arts in Cardiff on Sunday 16 June 2024.

The free festival is part of the ‘Senedd Friends of Ukraine’ initiative, whose fundraising activities has already donated 15 vehicles, together with medical and other urgent supplies worth almost £1million to Ukraine and kicks off Chapter’s ‘refugee week’ of films.

The festival will feature a special showing of the Oscar winning film ’20 Days in Mariupol’, which will be followed by a Q&A session with Nataliya Valda, the film’s curator. The Ukrainian family-friendly favourite ‘Hutsulka Ksenya’ and action/adventure ‘Dovbush’ will also feature.

Mick Antoniw MS said:

“The festival is an opportunity to bring the Ukrainian community in South Wales together, to demonstrate our continuing solidarity with Ukraine and to raise much needed funds to support the Ukrainian war effort

“We are incredibly grateful to Chapter for hosting this event and to the British Council and BECTU trade union for their generous support.”

Alun Davies MS said:

“We want people to come along and enjoy this free festival, but we also hope people will take the opportunity to contribute to our fundraising effort.

“In July, Mick, I and other volunteers will be taking a further four vehicles over to Ukraine and we’d like to fill them with as much medical aid as possible, so we do hope that people will be able to continue to be generous in their support.”

Tickets for all three films are free of charge and are available from Chapter Arts box office.

Claire Vaughan, Programme Manager, Chapter Arts Film and Cinema said:

“This event will be a wonderful opportunity for cultural exchange and to show solidarity for the plight of the Ukrainian people in their time of need. Filmmakers and other artists in Ukraine are still working despite the circumstances and it is exciting to celebrate these films alongside urgent documentaries like the Oscar-winning 20 Days in Mariupol. We are looking forward to a day of gathering together to appreciate these films and reflect at the start of Refugee Week.”

Ruth Cocks, Director, British Council Wales said:

“We are proud to support the Ukrainian film festival and the showing of three wonderful films which will be held in Chapter Arts Centre. Now, more than ever, celebrating the rich cultural heritage of Ukraine is incredibly important – the power of culture to connect people shouldn’t be underestimated. Wales is a nation of sanctuary and we hope that this festival provides a platform to amplify Ukrainian voices and connect Ukrainian refugees and diaspora both with each other and with the people of Wales. We look forward to seeing you there!”