Ukraine Celebrates Cinema, War's Shadow at Bangkok Festival

Ukrainian cinema took centre stage at Bangkok's Art and Culture Centre on Monday, where chargé d'affaires Viktor Semenov linked the country's cultural heritage to its struggle to endure war and Russia's responsibility for the deaths of thousands of innocent people.

The opening was attended by members of the diplomatic corps, Thai government officials and parliamentarians, as well as business representatives, members of the Ukrainian community and media.

Semenov spoke about how Ukraine's 35th anniversary of independence was an occasion for reflection and pride.

"Culture never exists in a vacuum," he told Thai officials, diplomats and other guests. "It grows out of what people live through and it is never guaranteed. It can be banned, erased or destroyed."

He said Ukraine had spent almost a third of its modern history living through war since Russia's aggression began, and described the conflict as a test of international rules intended to protect nations large and small.

After speaking about Ukrainian soldiers and civilians killed, wounded, displaced or held in captivity, Semenov invited the audience to honour the innocent victims of the war with a minute of silence.

The ceremony concluded with Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors, Serhii Parajanov's 1965 classic. The embassy noted that the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Film Studio, where the film was made, was hit by Russian missiles in June resulting in extensive damage to the studio which is said to house over 100,000 costumes.

Parajanov's acclaimed 1965 film tells the tragic love story of two young Hutsuls from feuding families in the Carpathian Mountains. It is a lyrical tale where grief, religion, tradition, and music intertwine through vivid, symbolic imagery.

Semenov said the film had carried a significance far beyond its story. Made at a time when Ukrainian cultural expression faced pressure under Soviet rule, it brought Ukrainian language, music and traditions vividly to the screen.

"It was revolutionary for one simple reason," he said. "It said Ukrainian culture exists and that it is beautiful."

Parajanov was later imprisoned by Soviet authorities, Semenov noted, but his work endured and is now regarded as a classic of Ukrainian cinema.

Semenov also thanked Thailand for its support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as humanitarian assistance.

The festival, which runs until 6 August, marks the 35th anniversary of Ukraine's independence. The embassy said all films in the programme are being shown in Thailand for the first time.

Full show programme:

Wednesday, 5 August Malevych (2025) – a biographical drama about the life and artistic journey of the famous Ukrainian avant-garde artist Kazymyr Malevych The Underground Garden (2026) – a documentary about a children's art studio operating in a Kharkiv bomb shelter and preparing for its first