On February 24th, the Russian attack on Ukraine marks its anniversary. It is a war that also aims at the destruction of the country’s cultural identity. How are Ukrainian creatives defending their culture in this situation against attempts of Russification?
Putin justifies his war of aggression with the claim that Ukraine has never truly been an independent nation, that it possesses no unique cultural identity. His attacks on Ukrainian cultural monuments are intended to deliberately strike at the self-awareness of the Ukrainians. However, the creatives of the country are invoking their distinct culture, with their own language, images, myths, and history. They emphasize their own cultural identity.
A film by Viola Löffler
A K22film production for ARTE
45 min | 2023