The First Ukrainian Film Festival Held in Chicago: A New Cinematic Vision of Ukraine Presented to the American Audience

The first-ever Ukrainian Film Festival took place in Chicago — an event that brought together filmmakers, viewers, and community members around Ukrainian cinema and the truth about today’s Ukraine. The initiator and organizer of the festival was director, actress, and artist Kateryna Tkachenko, who realized an idea first conceived back in 2019. The screenings were held under the patronage of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church. The program featured both documentary and feature films highlighting the war, humanity, and the resilience of Ukrainians.

This was reported by Radio UA Chicago / Surma Newspaper.

“The Ukrainian community in Chicago is one of the largest not only in Chicago but perhaps in the world, yet it has never had its own film festival. And now this gap has been filled: the first Ukrainian Film Festival in Chicago has taken place,” the post noted.

According to the organizer, the idea for the festival emerged in 2019, when preparations for the information space, the search for partners, and an initial selection of films began. Public announcements were made at that time, but the launch was halted due to attempts by a commercial russian distribution company to exploit the theme of Ukrainian cinema, followed by the challenges of the pandemic and the full-scale war.

“At that time, it seemed to me that Ukrainians were not thinking about cinema: the muses fell silent because the cannons had spoken… But later it became clear that, in addition to street protests, we needed to do something with a broader and longer-lasting impact. Cinema is precisely that voice — one without borders,” said Kateryna Tkachenko.

In 2025, preparations resumed. Crucial support came from St. Nicholas Cathedral, where the event was ultimately held. The program included both documentary and feature films. Among them were works by young filmmaker Bohdan Zheleznyak: “Autumn Glissando,” “Wings,” and “There Will Be No Happy End.” The program also featured comedies, including Taras Kusherskyi’s “Euthanasia” and Ivan Tsiupka’s “Another Day.” After the emotionally intense screening of Danylo Dedkov’s “Little Soldier,” the comedy “Another Day” became a “breath of fresh air” for the audience.

In the competition program, first place went to Bohdan Zheleznyak’s “Autumn Glissando.” Second place went to the documentary “A Letter from Kherson” by Oleksii Sandakov. Third place was awarded to the English-language film “Pizza Under Fire” by British director Adrian Pennink. A special nomination, “Social Position,” was awarded to Maksym Tuzhylin’s film “My City M.”