Parajanov’s film Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors returns to cinemas in a restored version

The iconic Ukrainian film Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors by director Sergei Parajanov returns to wide theatrical release on May 29 in a restored version.

This was announced by the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio on Facebook.

Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a film that changed the course of Ukrainian culture— a cinematic work cited around the world as a visual revelation.

“A true treasure of the Dovzhenko Film Studio—preserved, restored, and now reopened for a new generation of viewers. This is not something to watch at home or on a phone screen. This is for the big screen. For the dark cinema hall where every sound, every color, every movement becomes pure art,” the studio emphasized.

The film is distributed by Kinomania Film Distribution.

Parajanov’s Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a poetic drama based on the novel of the same name by Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky. It was filmed at the Dovzhenko Studio in 1964.

The film gained international acclaim and was screened at film festivals in Venice, Locarno, Barcelona, New York, and London.