The opening ceremony of the 11th Austrian Film Week took place at Zhovten Cinema in Kyiv with the support of the Austrian Embassy and the general partner, the Austrian gas station network AMIC Energy. The film festival began with a screening of the comedy ‘Risks and Side Effects’ by Michael Kreisl. The premiere was attended by stars and famous cultural figures, including Deputy Minister of Culture of Ukraine Halyna Hryhorenko, Ihor Kondratyuk, Sofia Yegorova, Oleg Borshchevsky, Yevheniya Kuleba, Tonya Matvienko, Viacheslav Solomka, Lyudmyla Pyshna, Iryna Danilevska, Halyna Hryhorenko, ambassadors of Finland and Cyprus, and other guests. The cinema lobby was decorated with a huge red and white Austrian flag, which impressed the guests with its scale. Before the screening, the Ambassador of the Republic of Austria to Ukraine addressed the guests of the film festival with a speech calling for support for Ukraine.
"Ukrainians are freedom fighters who amaze the world with their courage and hard work. The Republic of Austria and its people support Ukraine's efforts to defend European values in this unjust war unleashed by Russia. We stand in solidarity with Ukraine and firmly by its side. Likewise, Austrian culture should support the will of Ukrainians to live a more normal life despite these difficult times. We hope that the return of the Austrian Film Week in Kyiv will be a worthy symbol of support for Ukraine's resilience," said Dr. Arad Benkö, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Austria to Ukraine.
The Austrian Film Week has been held annually in Ukraine for over 10 years. The only exception was in 2022 due to the full-scale invasion of Russia. However, the decision to return the cultural event to Kyiv was made due to the incredible ability of art to give viewers positive impressions, hope, and faith in the upcoming Victory.
Moreover, all proceeds from ticket sales will be doubled by the festival's general partner Amic Energy and transferred to a special account of the National Bank of Ukraine to raise funds to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Let's support the Ukrainian Army and accelerate our Victory together! "This festival is a testament to the strong and long-standing relationship between Austria and Ukraine," says Günter Maier, the European gas station network CEO. "These relations have become even stronger in the face of adversity. "As a partner of this festival, we are proud to support the Ukrainian people and are committed to investing in the future of Ukraine. We are convinced that Ukraine's greatest asset is its people, and we will continue to work with the government, entrepreneurs, and the public to build a prosperous country."
The Austrian Film Week festival will take place at the Zhovten Cinema in Kyiv from March 30 to April 5, 2023. Every day, the audience will have the opportunity to watch the most striking and resonant Austrian films of recent years, including the comedy film Risks and Side Effects, the biographical drama Alma and Oscar, the documentary Out of Place, another comedy film Rimini, and, this year's innovation, the children's film Franz's Stories. After the festival, activists and leaders of Ukrainian film clubs will be able to organize screenings in their cities for free as part of the project Film Club. All-Ukrainian Network" project.
