Organisers said they were proud to showcase Reflection, a Ukrainian film directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych, and Mr. Jones, a Polish-English-Ukrainian co-production created by Polish filmmaker Agnieszka Holland.
Two movies about Ukraine
Set in 2014, Reflection tells the story of a Ukrainian surgeon who enlists to fight Russian military forces in the Donbas region. He is captured by the enemy and, as prisoner of war, witnesses horrific scenes of humiliation, torture and violence committed by the Russian invaders.
"All income from Reflection showings will go towards Ukrainian Filmmakers recently displaced from Kyiv," organisers stated.
Meanwhile, Holland’s Mr Jones is loosely based on events in the life of Gareth Jones, a Welsh journalist who in the 1930s uncovered the truth about the devastating Soviet-induced famine in Ukraine that saw millions die of starvation.
Latest features
The New York Polish Film Festival will also screen several latest features, including Jan P. Matuszyński’s Leave no Traces, set in martial law-era Poland.
Documentaries on show include Polański. Horowitz. Hometown, which portrays the friendship between film director Roman Polański and photographer Ryszard Horowitz. The latter is set to be among the festival’s special guests.
Screenings will be held from June 3-5 in New York cinemas, and from June 7-28 on the event’s online streaming service, organisers said.
The New York Polish Film Festival has been staged annually since 2005.
Friday is day 100 of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
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Source: nypff.com, poland.us
