Odesa International Film Festival presents a visual exhibition that aims to focus on the women that formed Ukrainian cinema but worked behind the cameras.

Organized by Gallery Invogue, which is for the second time an official partner and the curator of Odesa International Film Festival’s art program, the “Behind the Scenes” exhibition aims to present the women that created and formed the Ukrainian cinema but were not in the spotlight. Focusing on eleven film professionals that were behind the cameras, the exhibition will explore the talents of female directors, cinematographers, scriptwriters, costume and production designers and producers that made history in Ukrainian cinema.

The faces of the project are: Julia Lazarevska, Inna Bychenkova, Svitlana Zinovieva, Olga Samolevska, Natalya Vorozhbit, Marysya Nikityuk, Nadia Parfan, Katerina Gornostay, Victoria Bondar, Marina Vroda, and Kira Muratova.

Odesa International Film Festival decided to turn to women, whose professions are inseparably linked to the cinema, and tell their stories as a visual interview. Learn about their inner world, their memories, and inspiration. Each of the protagonists will share their thoughts about the film industry, while the portrait of Kira Muratova is presented by a series or memoirs of her closest colleagues who worked together with her.

This project will open the veil of stories that have not been told and has an artistic component as young Ukrainian modern artists became participants of “Behind the Scenes”; and drew the portraits of the stories narrated by heroines. Some of the artists are: Alevtina Kakhidze, Nikita Kravtsov, Katerina Filimonova, Maria Kulikovskaya, Roman Mikhailov, Dmitry Erlich, Inna Khasileva, Alexey Yalovegha, Ksenia Gnilitska, and Nina Murashkina.

The exhibition will be accompanied by an event program. Including a series of film screenings and meetings with female film professionals who will be able to tell from different points of view their experience in Ukrainian cinema and recall the most important moments for them. Some of the meetings include: the cinematographer and producer Svetlana Zinovieva will explore the author documentaries and experimental cinema, which is difficult to commercialize; film director, scriptwriter and poet Olga Samolevska will present her film Stabat Mater focusing on its creation and will also read her verses; and the film Final Portrait directed by Stanley Tucci will be screened at the gallery followed by a discussion with art historian Yevgenya Molyar.

The “Behind the Scenes” exhibition will take place at Invogue Gallery, Katerynynska street, 25, Odesa, from 15 July to 5 August, daily from 11:00 to 20:00, the entrance is free. invoguegallery.com/, info@invoguegallery.com

Info: Invogue # Art is a gallery of contemporary art, located in the centre of Odesa. Its work is aimed to promote Ukrainian contemporary artists. The mission of the gallery is to invest in the development of the artistic environment of Odesa and to diversify the culture of the events of the city.

UART foundation for cultural diplomacy is a non-profit charitable organization whose purpose is to popularise Ukraine and Ukrainian culture abroad and to familiarise Ukrainians with the achievements of world art.