The Travelling Docudays UA unites the whole country through a shared love of documentary filmmaking — and following its journey through the Kherson and Ivano-Frankivsk regions, it now heads to Slobozhanshchyna. The festival will begin its local journey in Kharkiv, where three eventful days await — filled with expert discussions, practical workshops, conversations on human rights with specialists, and documentary screenings for school audiences.

In the resilient city of Kharkiv, we are proud to announce the public programme prepared by one of our regional partners — the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group!

20 October, 3:30 pm

Press Conference of the co-organisers of the 22nd Travelling Docudays UA in the Kharkiv Region — the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group and the NGO Centre for Legal and Political Studies DUMA. Participants: regional coordinators Olha Solapanova and Yuriy Chumak.

Location: press center Nakypilo.

24 October, 6 pm

Public opening of the festival in Kharkiv. An inclusive screening of the documentary Sanatorium by Irish director Gar O’Rourke followed by an expert discussion with Dmytro Petrenko, Head of the Department of Theory of Culture and Philosophy of Science at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University. The discussion will explore the role and importance of art in wartime.

The film is available with audio description through the EarCatch app.

Location: ART AREA DK.

25 October

1 pm — Screening and discussion of the documentary How I Spent My Summer Holidays by Ukrainian director Antonio Lukich.

Location: HudpromLoft.

1 pm — Interactive human rights event Human Library, where visitors can have one-on-one conversations with people whose life stories offer unique perspectives.

The ‘books’ will include:

• Andriy Didenko** — a human rights defender with experience of imprisonment who began advocating for prisoners’ rights while incarcerated and later joined the Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group;

• Volodymyr Noskov — a journalist with an acquired visual impairment who successfully works in the media and shares his experience of adaptation;

• Arsenii Mykhailov — a serviceman who survived Russian captivity and openly talks about his return, adaptation, and life after release;

• Tamila Bespala — a lawyer representing clients affected by Russian aggression;

• Yevheniia Shyriaieva — a psychotherapist working with survivors of Russian captivity and other victims of the war.

Location: HudpromLoft.

2 pm — Practical session with journalist Volodymyr Noskov on inclusion, featuring training elements. We will discuss the importance of inclusion in public and private spaces, how to offer help to people with disabilities, and how to respect personal freedom.

Location: press center Nakypilo.

3:30 pm — Inclusive screening of the documentary My Sweet Child by Dutch director Maarten de Schutter. Visitors with visual impairments and anyone interested can enjoy the film with audio description via the EarCatch app.

After the screening, a discussion with psychotherapist Yevheniia Shyriaieva will explore how to support oneself and loved ones in processing traumatic experiences.

Location: HudpromLoft.

6 pm — Screening of the documentary A Land of Paper by French director Marion Boé, followed by a discussion with lawyer Tamila Bespala about the Ukrainian context — and how bureaucracy complicates the implementation of personal initiatives and projects.

Location: press center Nakypilo

26 October

12:30 pm — Screening and discussion of the documentary Where’s My Body Armour? by Ukrainian director Daria Penkova.

Location: Nafta.

2 pm — Screening of the documentary Inside, The Valley Sings by Irish director Nathan Fagan, followed by an expert discussion with human rights defender Andriy Didenko, who has personal experience of imprisonment. We will talk about the treatment of prisoners, how to prevent human rights violations in places of detention, and the community’s role in driving change.

Location: Nafta.

3:30 pm — Screening of the documentary My Sextortion Diary by Spanish director Patricia Franquesa, followed by a discussion with lawyer Tamila Bespala on sexual violence on the Internet.

Participants will learn how to recognise online violence, what to do when encountering it, and how to protect themselves and their loved ones. We will also go over the steps to take when discovering materials involving child sexual abuse.

Location: PrideHub.

6 pm — Screening of the documentary Last Song from Kabul by directors Kevin Macdonald and Ruhi Hamid, followed by a discussion with activist, feminist, and programme manager of the Kharkiv Women’s Association Sfera, Daria Kustanovych.

Location: PrideHub.

Admission to all events is free. As in all frontline regions, due to security conditions and wartime challenges, the festival programme may be subject to change. For updates and detailed information, follow the Travelling Docudays UA in the Kharkiv Region on Facebook and Instagram.

The programme from another regional partner — the Centre for Legal and Political Studies DUMA — will be announced soon.

See you very soon!

Contact person: Olha Solapanova, Regional Coordinator of the Travelling Docudays UA in the Kharkiv Region, Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group, e-mail: [email protected], Tel.: +38 (098) 770-54-46

The 22nd Travelling Docudays UA is held with the financial support of the European Union, the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, and International Media Support. The opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the governments, or the charitable organisations of these countries. The authors alone are responsible for the content of this publication.