Program

Five premieres of contemporary hits from Ukrainian and Danish cinema. The festival curators have selected two films for the program that best represent the current state of Danish cinematography. On the other hand, a team of film critics from the Netherlands has chosen three films that reflect the Ukrainian film process, with its genre and auteur explorations.

The Danish side is represented by members of the Danish Film Critics' Association: Nanna Frank Rasmussen, Maria Månson, Mathilde Johanne Kristiansen.

Ukrainian poetic cinema is both a school of thought, a new wave, and a whole cinematic tradition, rooted in the films of Oleksandr Dovzhenko. The 1960s marked the height of Ukrainian poetic cinema, a period when it opposed Moscow’s urban realism. Later suppressed, it resurfaced after Ukraine’s independence as a treasured element of national heritage, though it faced challenges in defining its place within the evolving cinematic landscape.

Yet poetic cinema has always had its champions, even in contemporary Ukraine, demonstrating that the form could grow and transform. Today, these films carry political resonance (Famine 33, A Prayer for Hetman Mazepa), delve into historical memory (Mamay), and chart new territories by exploring the dialogue between humans and nature (Volcano, When the Trees Fall, Pamfir). As with the canonical works of this tradition, post-independence poetic cinema remains richly visual and metaphorical, gradually securing its place alongside the masterpieces of the past.

The International Section traditionally combines the freshest hits from the world’s major film festivals. The first four films selected for the lineup were chosen from the programs of Cannes and Berlinale. The rest will be announced soon!