On June 29, the Institute for Comparative Culture hosted “Artistic Ukraine”, a film screening of works by female directors from Ukraine at the Yotsuya Campus, which was attended by about 200 people. Two alumni, Yulia Sakai (’21,FLA) and Ayano Soma (’21,FLA), made significant efforts in planning and organizing this event.

Following the opening remarks by Professor David Slater, Director of the Institute for Comparative Culture, Dr. Sergiy Korsunsky, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to Japan, took the stage.

Ambassador Korsunsky expressed his appreciation for the various charitable activities, such as the “Artistic Ukraine,”conducted to promote Ukrainian culture, even under the Russian military invasion.

The Ambassador also mentioned that the Kyiv Ballet Company is scheduled to visit Japan this summer and the Ukrainian animation will be screened at a festival in Hiroshima, and he hoped that people in Japan would learn about Ukrainian culture more.

After video messages from Ksenia Bugrimova and Larisa Gutarevich of UFFI (Ukrainian Female Film and Media Industry), following six films were screened:

1. “Synopsis” directed by Oksana Voitenko
2. “Seeds” directed by Ksenia Bugrimova
3. “OH!” directed by Olga Zolotareva
4. “Doors” directed by Natasha Davydenko
5. “Hermit Crab-Master of Escape” directed by Valeriya Kalchenko
6. “Solatium” directed by Christina Tynkevych

All six films were directed by Ukrainian women and all received high acclaim. The second film screened, “Seeds,” was a silent movie without any dialogue and was screened for the first time in the Short Film Competition at the Cannes Film Festival.

Before the screening, Ambassador Korsunsky met with Sophia’s President Yoshiaki Terumichi. The President, together with the Ambassador and Professor Slater, met with current students and alumni who were involved in the screening.