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16 May 2008 23:40

Reception and Ukrainian Cinema Presentation Held on Boulevard de la Croisette

May 16, 2008, Head of the Supervisory Board of the Ukraine 3000 International Charitable Foundation Kateryna Yushchenko took part in a reception and Ukrainian cinema presentation on Boulevard de la Croisette in Cannes. The reception, organized by the Ukrainian Film Foundation and Nemiroff International, was attended by Minister of Culture and Tourism of Ukraine Vasyl Vovkun, Ukrainian Film Foundation director Andriy Khalpakhchi, renowned French couturier Claude Bonucci, actor Vincent Cassel, representatives of Ukraine’s Embassy in France, Ukraine 3000 Foundation, and Ukrainian Film Foundation. In total, over Ukraine 3000 Foundation persons were present.

Welcoming the guests, Mrs. Yushchenko thanked them for their interest to Ukraine and expressed her hope that the event would help them to learn more about Ukraine and its cinema. “We do have something to offer,” she said. “Talented actors, technicians, cameramen – professionals who are now working at world’s best sets. We have great locations and a great desire to take part in co-productions.” Mrs. Kateryna added that Ukraine’s beautiful and sometimes tragic history could become an inexhaustible source of stories waiting to be made into a movie.

Mrs. Yuishchenko recalled last year’s visit to Cannes by a Ukrainian delegation and the idea they came up with during their stay: a Ukrainian pavilion. “After a year our dream had come true,” she said. “We thank all those who made it happen, first of all, the Nemiroff Company.” Mrs. Kateryna also gave her special thanks to Ukrainian Film Foundation director Andriy Khalpakhchi, saying that “his whole life was a road to this triumph.”

The reception on Boulevard de la Croisette is the central event in the Ukrainian delegation’s work at the International Cannes Festival. Its program at the festival is quite broad. It includes the first Ukrainian Pavilion in the history of the International Cannes Film Festival, which is to distribute catalogues of Ukrainian films, their promo materials and trailers, as well as supplying international film professionals with information on the most influential figures in Ukraine’s cinema. In addition, six short films are to be presented: Casting by Oleksandr Shapiro, The Illusion of Fear by Oleksandr Kiriyenko, Sappho by Robert Crombey, Bohdan Zinovy Khmelnytsky by Mykola Mashchenko, A Funky Tale by Roman Shirman, and Archbishop Andriy by Oles Yanchuk. A number of presentations is also scheduled dedicated, in part, to the Dovzhenko, Odesa, and Yalta film studios’ anniversaries along with new projects: The Good Soldier Svejk by Rinat Gazizov, Dau by Illia Khrzhanovsky, Mykyta Kozhumyaka by Mykhaylo Kostrov, A House with a Turret by Yeva Neyman, and Thirteen Months by Illia Noyabriov. Besides, Molodist International Kyiv Film Festival will be presented at Cannes for the second time.

Recall that in 2007 the Molodist International Kyiv Film Festival was presented at the International Cannes Festival with the support of the Nemiroff Company and with the participation of Ukraine 3000 Foundation members and Mrs. Kateryna Yushchenko. This event gave an impetus to the creation of the Ukrainian Film Foundation announced October 25, 2007.

Mrs. Yushchenko and Ukraine 3000 Foundation representatives are taking part in the 61th International Cannes Festival. Earlier they had visited the Cannes Film Market and took part in a presentation at the Ukrainian film projects festival.