At a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, amidst the joyous remarks of the other presenters on the unification of the European continent, Ukrainian writer Yuri Andrukhovych conveyed his skepticism about the success of the “New Europe.” For Andrukhoych, 2009 was marked by the waning of any remaining fervor surrounding Ukraine's Orange Revolution of 2004-2005, the pro-democracy protests that preceded the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2013-2014. Then Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko also signed a gas deal with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin that was detrimental to Ukraine, while Russia was “ forgiven for everything,” including its war with Georgia just one year prior.
Revealing the program of the 39th Warsaw International Film Festival filmfestivals.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from filmfestivals.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The 90s is an overlooked period in contemporary Ukrainian literature – unlike Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine – and the setting alone makes Oksana Lutsyshyna’s award-winning novel “Ivan and Phoebe” an achievement. Now available in Nina Murray's English translation from the U.S. publisher Deep Vellum, Lutsyshyna’s novel is essential reading for those looking to better understand the factors that have shaped Ukraine's post-independence landscape, how they impacted ordinary people, and the challenges Ukraine continues to face today. Ivan, the titular hero, goes from participant in the Revolution on Granite during his student days to husband in an unhappy marriage without much purpose in life.
Last week, I visited Ukraine – Lviv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Kramatorsk. Impressions crowded in. Here are a few: When the Russians attacked Kharkiv last year, they strafed a Holocaust memorial on the way into town. It is particularly poignant to see the monument’s large seven-branch candlestick reduced to five branches. Across the road is Kharkiv’s vast