Under the sign of the short film

Kyiv’s cinema-lovers have numerous events to look forward to, including the new Future Shorts Project, the national premiere of the Ukrainian independent project bigmina Mudaky (Arabesky), and the launch of the International Manhattan Festival. Last week in the cinemas Zhovten and Kyiv a program presenting this year’s best films was launched (according to the results of the Ukrainian audience’s Internet polls, the best short films from all over the world were included in the program. The selection will also feature a Ukrainian piece). On September 23 the cinema Kyiv will screen the national premiere of the Ukrainian independent project Mudaky (Arabesky). This is a new low-budget art-house movie, open and made in author’s style. “The Ukrainian directors shoot what they want to. They make films about Ukraine, about burning issues, without courtesy, banknotes, and with a sense of humor,” the press service of the Arthouse-Traffic Company reported. It should be reminded that the miscellany of short films has already taken part in several film festivals. Thus, the film Deafness by Myroslav Slaboshpytsky competed for Berlinale’s Golden Bear, and won the special prize of the jury at the FF600 Film Festival in Slovakia. The same festival awarded the movie On the Road by Volodymyr Tykhy. Other short films have also taken part in the competition of the Dr. Mabuse Festival in Barcelona and Batumi’s BIAFF Festival.

On September 29 the annual International Manhattan Festival of Short Movies will be launched. Its peculiarity consists in the fact that the winners are selected by the audience, rather than the jury. During a week the contest program will be watched simultaneously on six continents. After it is over, every viewer will vote for the film s/he liked the best. For reference, it will be the fourth time that the Manhattan Festival will also take place in Ukraine.

Incidentally, soon our country will host festivals of British, German, Latin American, Italian, and Asian films. Besides, solo film screenings will also take place, like Oceans by documentary film director Jacques Perrin.