On November 9, Gwara Media, a group of journalists from Kharkiv, Ukraine, presented their film, Ukraine: A City Under Siege, at the event organized by the Oxford-Kharkiv Association, a collective committed to fostering meaningful connections between the two cities.
The film Ukraine: A City Under Siege depicted the daily life of Kharkiv civilians since February 24, 2022. It’s one of the first works that covered the early days of the Russian full-scale invasion and its devastating impact on Kharkiv.
Chair of the Kharkiv-Oxford Association, Tim Sadler, expresses excitement about the presentation and a chance to talk to people who made the documentary, “This is an important point of the journey of Oxford-Kharkiv Association, the first joint event. I believe this is the foundation for further fruitful exchanges.”
The presentation aimed to foster cross-cultural collaboration and understanding. By organizing it, the Kharkiv-Oxford Initiative wanted to showcase Oxford and Kharkiv experiences and foster a connection between the histories, experiences, and cultures of both. The presentation was attended by an Oxford audience and representatives from various sectors interested in promoting international understanding and cooperation.
The event features a Q&A session with the film producer, Gwara’s editor, Serhii Prokopenko, and cameraman Oleksii Yeroshenko, allowing the audience to engage directly with those who worked on the story.
“We learned about the initiative when representatives of the Oxford-Kharkiv organization approached us in search of new ideas and narratives. It is important to continue talking about the illegal, criminal aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine and the destruction of Kharkiv. We are happy to promote cultural exchange between our cities and countries”, said Gwara Media’s editor and film producer Serhii Prokopenko.
About the film
How civilians in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv are living under daily attacks from Russian forces. Under constant artillery and aerial attacks, the people of Kharkiv in northeastern Ukraine have seen their homes and neighborhoods destroyed. Their lives turned upside down. When Russia invaded their country on February 24, few could have imagined the brutality that would ensue or how hard it would be for civilians to survive. Many have since fled the shattered city, but for those who remain, somehow, humanity prevails. This is their remarkable story.
About Kharkiv-Oxford Association
The Oxford-Kharkiv Association (OKA) is a voluntary society dedicated to strengthening the links between Oxfordshire and the Kharkiv region by fostering personal and professional contacts and supporting charities and other initiatives helping the people of Kharkiv in wartime, reconstruction and recovery. The initial fields of work are in Education and Healthcare, and they also publicize the projects of charities for reconstruction in the Kharkiv region.
Read more
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