Olha NIKOLENKO: “Such awards help to assert freedom in society”

The authors of the documentary Ukrainian prisoners in Solovky, shot in 2011 by the Poltava Oblast State TV and Radio Company Ltava (directors: Natalia Ivanchenko and Dmytro Starikov) has recently won the Viacheslav Chornovil State Prize for the best opinion-journalism work. The Day has already carried an article about the first film in the Solovky cycle dedicated to the life of Ukrainian neoclassic Mykola Zerov, an interview with its scriptwriter, professor at the Korolenko Poltava National Pedagogic University Olha NIKOLENKO, Ph.D. (Philology) (Den, the article “Solovky: a mini-model of USSR,” nos. 78-79, May 11, 2012). The Day called Mrs. Nikolenko after the awarding ceremony to congratulate her on the victory and inquire about her creative plans.

“This high prize is important for the whole team of authors of our film, first, because it rehabilitates the historical memory about the perished Ukrainians. Second, such awards help to assert freedom in society,” Olha Nikolenko said, “The main thing we wanted to achieve with the movie about Mykola Zerov was to make the young generation become the bearers of the feeling of freedom, a thing all of us are lacking. Our shooting crew decided that no matter what the funding would be, we would continue to work on the cycle Ukrainian prisoners in Solovky. We are absolutely sure that society needs such films, and we will struggle for this, we will look for the money needed. Later on we plan to shoot films about our geniuses Mykola Kulish, Les Kurbas, and other figures who are sometimes scarcely known. For example, the literary critic Ananii Lebed, a graduate of a tsar school for ensigns, a White officer, who later took a pro-Ukrainian stand, and died in the camps for this reason. In Solovky and the tract of Sandarmokh many people are buried whose ashes are knocking at our hearts and whose story needs to be told.”