The premiere of the documentary film "Front Row" by director Miriam Guttmann took place at the DocNYC documentary film festival in New York. The film tells the story of the Ukrainian ballet troupe United Ukrainian Ballet Company and a unique performance with war veteran Oleksandr Budko, known by the call sign "Teren".
This is reported by the media company Scenery.
The film highlights the story of Ukrainian dancers who, after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, united abroad to continue creating and supporting Ukraine through art. A special place in the film is occupied by a performance in Los Angeles in the summer of 2023, where Oleksandr Budko, a veteran who lost his legs during the fighting in the Kharkiv region, took the stage with the ballet troupe.
The premiere was attended by the main characters of the film - dancers Oleksiy Tyutyunnyk, Vladyslav Bondar and Iryna Zhalovska, as well as Oleksandr Budko himself. Among the guests of the event were American actress and film producer Sarah Jessica Parker, director Miriam Guttmann, ambassador of the UNITED24 platform and American film producer Liev Schreiber and other members of the production team.
The film "Front Row" demonstrates the power of art as a tool for struggle and unification. The ballet, which unites the stories of Ukrainian dancers and veterans, has become a symbol of invincibility, revival, and hope that Ukraine continues to radiate even in the most difficult times.
The premiere was an important step in popularizing Ukrainian culture on the world stage and reminded us of the need to support Ukraine.
Author: Danylo Pievchev