On October 16, the Vasylivka District Library (Zaporizhia) hosted a screening of the Struggle for the Emek Movie Theater film, as a part of the 14th Traveling International Human Rights Documentary Film Festival Docudays UA.

The struggle of the Istanbul activists for protecting the Emek movie theatre did not leave the audience indifferent. The main reason for their interest is that the problem is relevant for many Ukrainian towns, too. And Vasylivka is no exception. The city has the Vasylivka History and Architecture Reserve Museum “Popov’s Homestead”. Popov’s Homestead has been recognized as an architectural memorial of the late 19th century, but the audience raised the following questions in the context of the film: Is the local community involved in the activities around the Homestead? Are the decisions about its change or development made in cooperation with the locals? By the way, these questions also apply to the cutdown of the centuries-old fir trees on the Homestead’s territory.

Vasylivka History and Architecture Reserve Museum “Popov’s Homestead”

Of course, there is no destruction of cultural centres here, but, according to the audience of the screening, removal of the community from decision making is a key problem.

After they had watched the film, the audience members actively discussed what they had seen, gradually reaching the conclusion that the topic raised in the Struggle for the Emek Movie Theater is very relevant and sensitive for their town, too.

“But in Istanbul, people fought for several years and never achieved anything. It was a complete disappointment,” shares her impressions one of the viewers.

“They were not heard, the government turned out to be stronger,” someone replies to her.

“The point is not that this time they failed to push for what they wanted, but that people themselves saw that they can achieve results, realized that they have the right to participate in shaping the space around them.”

“Advocating the community’s rights to the development of culture and arts is a right, just as the right to work, the right to rest, the right to medical care, etc. And it is very important to be aware of that,” says a girl, recalling the cut fir trees near the Popov’s Homestead.

“Our right to the development of culture is also violated where our opinion is not taken into account in the process of appointing the heads of cultural institutions,” summarizes one of the viewers.

The viewers of Struggle for the Emek Movie Theater film 

Organizer: Community Organization “Cultprojector”

Supported by the Department of Culture and Tourism at the Vasylivka City Council

Main photo: Vasylivka History and Architecture Reserve Museum “Popov’s Homestead”

All the photos: Viktoria Veres