Culture vs War: Film

We would like to thank Help and Kindness and Shaftesbury Arts Centre and their volunteers for helping our friend Maryna Dovbysh bring the film Palyanytsia to Shaftesbury on a Sunday afternoon in July.

The film was a deeply moving portrayal of life in Ukraine since the escalation of the war against Ukraine in 2022

With the help of Katya, a Ukrainian guide, the American artists Johnny and Bandit visit the scenes of missile and drone attacks and respectfully comment on the war and the resilience of Ukrainians. They produce wall art that helps people make sense of their experience and in which they can participate. It is an act that puts them into the everyday violence that the war perpetrates on Ukraine and through their obvious horror we experience just a little of that violence.

Rage against Russia (Johnny)

Despite the relentless destruction and disruption to a peaceful life that the film shows. Despite the impact on individuals and the unnecesary and horrific deaths that have occurred since 2013, the film also shows how the everyday lives of people continue because of their bravery and resilience.

Sasha (Bandit)

We were grateful for this moment of reflection. A reminder that the war continues and with the same levels of aggression that drove people to safety in North Dorset. We are grateful for our peaceful home and for the community that has enriched it.