On the 10th of April, the 13th Austrian Film Week officially opened at Zhovten Cinema, an annual cultural project that traditionally unites audiences from all over Ukraine around contemporary Austrian cinema.

Among the guests of honour at this year's opening were representatives of the Austrian Embassy in Ukraine, AMIC ENERGY, diplomats, Ukrainian military, cultural figures, as well as filmmakers and opinion leaders.

The first film to open the festival was the social drama The Peacock, directed by Bernhard Wenger, a story about finding oneself in a world of expectations and the roles we play.

The festival programme includes five Austrian films that have been selected for the leading European festivals: Berlinale, Venice Film Festival, Locarno and others. Special attention was drawn to the film Dear Beautiful Loved Ones, a documentary by Ukrainian director Yuriy Rechynsky, filmed in Austria.

As the festival continues, so does the support.

The festival will be held in Kyiv (10-15 April), followed by Vinnytsia (24-27 April), Chernivtsi (30 April-3 May), Kharkiv (5-8 May), Lviv (15-18 May) and Dnipro (4-7 June).

AMIC ENERGY: cultural solidarity as part of a social mission

For the fifth year in a row, AMIC ENERGY is the general partner of the Austrian Film Week in Ukraine. And traditionally, the company will donate an amount equivalent to the total box office receipts of the festival to support Ukraine.

Günter Mayer, Managing Director of AMIC Energy Management GmbH:

‘This festival is more than just cinema. It is about unity, culture, cooperation and gratitude. We are proud to support initiatives that bring people together even in times of war.’

Andreas Zernetz, shareholder of AMIC ENERGY:

‘We believe in the power of culture - it doesn't just inspire, it heals and gives you the strength to go on. That's why we stand by Ukrainian society.’