The journey of Docudays UA across Ukrainian cities continues. One of the special screenings of this year’s program is the film Jamala’s Struggle, in which the Swedish journalist Elin Jonsson recorded the life of the singer and her family in Ukraine and Crimea, telling the tragic story of one family and its present occupation-related struggles. Through a personal, strong portrait of Jamala, and through the song 1944, the film addresses historical events, the deportation of Crimean Tatars and the today’s political problem.

The screening in Kharkiv was presented by the festival’s regional coordinator, a representative of the Center for Legal and Political Research DUMA Sofia Mazur. In her comment to the media MISTO.KH.UA, she noted, “This issue is relevant because the problem of minorities, ethnic minorities, especially Crimean Tatars is urgent. Jamala, as a creative person, gives us inspiration. The majority of Crimean Tatars believe that Crimea is Ukraine. So it is very important for us to support them. This film demonstrates a western, Swedish journalist’s perspective on the figure of Jamala in the global music culture. It is also about how your love of your homeland is reflected in your actions.”

The screenings of this film launched the Traveling Docudays UA in Mariupol. The To You TV channel received a comment from one of the viewers, a student Oleksandr Kozlovskyi, about his feelings after the screening. “This film takes something from inside of you, forces you to review, reform, and leaves you in this slightly perplexed state. The complete understanding of events will probably come in a few days, when you can fully realize the depth of emotions, feelings, the depth of the film, which is bright and very sad at the same time. It is impossible to convey.”

Main photo: Still from Jamala’s Struggle film