The 20th edition of Travelling Docudays UA is dedicated to the ‘Image of the Future’ – to what is worth imagining today and taking steps to make it happen. From December 8 to 12, we enjoyed heartfelt, insightful, and life-affirming films in Zaporizhzhia, thanks to the support of our trusted partner, the Zaporizhzhia Regional Youth Centre.

The documentaries in this year’s line-up made us rejoice, reflect, and observe, providing the strength to keep moving forward.

During these five days, festival visitors explored various stories. They witnessed the birth of an amateur theatre in the new reality for internally displaced people from the east of Ukraine (King Lear: How We Looked for Love During the War) and saw villagers tackling the eternal dilemma of staying or leaving, each finding their own reasons (Three Women). The audience followed the narrative of a family that grew amidst revolutions and war, nurturing a new generation (Forest, Forest). They also explored the lives of children relocated to Germany, striving to preserve memories of their homeland (Waking Up in Silence). Additionally, viewers watched a film portraying a family revitalizing a robotics club outside their hometown (Our Robo Family). This story sparked reflection on how we envision and understand life in different parts of our country.

The screenings were facilitated by Kostiantyn Yukhymenko, a member and project manager of the NGO Cultprojector.

Limited public information about the events was available due to security conditions. Details such as location and time were provided only upon request through personal messages. Despite the challenges in accessing the events, new attendees joined the screenings every day.

Ivan Volianskyi, a viewer at this year’s festival, contributed an original poster for the film inspired by his experience of King Lear: How We Looked for Love During the War by Dmytro Hreshko as part of the New Poster Every Day project. After the press conference and the beginning of Travelling Docudays UA in Zaporizhzhia, Ivan shared his thoughts on the film:

“The film tells about the struggles of internally displaced people in Uzhhorod and how creativity can save you in life's most difficult moments. I think about this a lot now. The documentary took us behind the scenes of putting on a play, showing how tricky it can be. Sure, sometimes it feels like everything is falling apart, and then you bump into a stranger at a café who turns everything around.”

Travelling Docudays UA in Zaporizhzhia 

Main photo: Travelling Docudays UA in Zaporizhzhia.

The 20th Travelling Docudays UA is supported by the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, the Embassy of Switzerland in Ukraine, and the US Embassy in Ukraine. Opinions, conclusions, or recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of the governments, charities, or companies of these countries. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of its authors.