In the program of the 53rd International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), scheduled to take place from January 25 to February 4, 2024, there are three Ukrainian films planned for screening.
The world premiere of the film "Gray Bees" by director Dmytro Moiseiev, produced by Idas International Film with the support of the State Agency of Ukraine for Cinema, is planned at the 53rd International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). The film will be part of the main competition, Tigercompetition.
The team presenting the film includes director and screenplay author Dmytro Moyseyev, producer Ivanna Dyadyura, screenwriter Andriy Kurkov, and cinematographer Vadim Ilkov.
Based on Andriy Kurkov's novel of the same name from 2018, the film tells the story of people living in the war-torn eastern Ukraine. The title refers to the so-called "gray zone" near the front line—a small village where the two main characters live. Two pensioners try to make a living despite rockets overhead and battles nearby, but everything changes when a Russian sniper comes to the village.
The leading roles are played by Viktor Zhdanov and Volodymyr Yamnenko.
Other Ukrainian films to be presented at the Rotterdam International Film Festival include "We will definitely talk about this after the last air raid alert stops" by director Yuriy Yefanov and "Centre for Creativity" directed by Marta Hryniuk and Nik Thomas.
"We will definitely talk about this after the last air raid alert stops" presents a neon-coloured utopian vision set in a post-war city, where humanity strives for harmony with nature through a recultivation programme. The film transcends the binary opposition between culture and nature, instead envisioning a society where individual goals align with the well-being of others, be it humans, trees, rivers or mushrooms. The cinematic journey navigates post-war resilience, cultural shifts and ecological challenges, exploring a world liberated from obsolete mechanisms of exploitation. The narrative unfolds on a single screen, complemented by two additional screens offering visual tours through forests in the near and distant future.
Yuri Yefanov, a Ukrainian artist and filmmaker, initiated this introspective yet exuberant film amidst the aftermath of the Russian invasion. His work delves into a world where the environment no longer feels distant, and becomes, yet again, an integral part of our existence.
A hypnotic hum sounds as black and white footage shows a group of women filling bags with dried vegetables, making and vacuum packing sandwiches and weaving camouflage nets. This is not just a chat, this meeting appears to serve a higher purpose: we look at the unseen practices of wartime Ukraine. "Centre for Creativity" offers a hopeful perspective and shows the daily work of survival, solidarity and creativity.
The 53rd International Film Festival Rotterdam is scheduled to take place from January 25 to February 4, 2024. Rotterdam International Film Festival (IFFR) is one of the most well-known and prestigious European film festivals, alongside Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Locarno.
