Ukrainian ‘Atlantis’ triumphs at 76 Venice International Film Festival
“Atlantis,” a feature film that shows the disastrous impact of Russia’s war against Ukraine, won a prestigious award at the 76th Venice International Film Festival.
Directed by Ukrainian Valentyn Vasyanovych, “Atlantis” received the Best Film prize in the Horizons category, the festival’s program that focuses on new trends in the film industry.
The 76th Venice International Film Festival took place from Aug. 28 through Sept. 7 in Venice, Italy. It aims to promote international films worldwide.
Vasyanovych’s “Atlantis” shows an ecological catastrophe resulting from Russia’s war against Ukraine as the biggest crisis of the Donbas region. The film explores a near-future Eastern Ukraine destroyed by environmental disaster and unsuitable for human life.
“The theme of the war in the East of Ukraine is the most acute and urgent topic for me,” Vasyanovych wrote in a statement about his film. “Ecological disaster, to which the war has already come.”
“Atlantis” stars Ukrainian actors Andriy Rymaruk, Liudmyla Bileka, and Vasyl Antoniak. It premiered at the festival on Sep. 4, 2019.
As is tradition, the award ceremony was held on the last day of the festival.
During the awards, Vasyanovych thanked the festival’s organizers, its jury and spectators for praising the movie and understanding the core messages of the film — love conquers death and war brings death.
“Together, sooner or later, we will win anyway,” Vasyanovych said as he received the award.
In his speech, Vasyanovych also mentioned Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov, who returned home on Sep. 7, 2019, after five years spent in a Russian prison. Sentsov was one of the 35 freed Ukrainian prisoners who returned to Ukraine as a result of the major prison swap between Ukraine and Russia.
“For me and for all of us, today is the big holiday,” Vasyanovych said. “Thanks to us as well, Ukrainian film director Oleg Sentsov was given his long-awaited freedom.”
The Kyiv Post reached out to Vasyanovych for a comment but he was not immediately available on Sept. 8.
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Italian director and actress Susanna Nicchiarelli chaired the jury for the Horizons program. “Atlantis” overcame 18 competing feature films in the category.
The U.S. psychological thriller “Joker,” based on DC comics and directed by Todd Fillips, received the festival’s highest prize, the Golden Lion, in the best film category.
Pylyp Illenko, the head of Ukraine’s State Film Agency congratulated Vasyanovych and the “Atlantis” team with their victory.
“This is the top of the film world and one of the most significant awards in Ukrainian film history,” Illenko wrote in a Facebook post.
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