As a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian nation under attack, the Festival will be opening with the Ukrainian documentary Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom by Oscar-nominated director Evgeny Afineevsky. The screening will be followed by a reception.

Freedom on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom (2022)
by Evgeny Afineevsky

Crafted from stark footage and exclusive interviews with people displaced by the enduring conflict, FREEDOM ON FIRE: UKRAINE’S FIGHT FOR FREEDOM reveals how the spirit of unity strengthens morale even amid the country’s darkest hours.
When Vladimir Putin launched an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, its citizens instinctively renewed the survival strategies that sustained them eight years prior during the Maidan Uprising. This companion piece to director Evgeny Afineevsky’s Academy Award-nominated documentary Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom explores why a jubilantday on Kyiv’s Maidan square instigated warfare that has lasted the better part of a decade. Broadening his focusfrom a single city, Afineevsky and his veteran Winter on Fire crew turn their lenses on multiple countries, trailing both the Ukrainians trying to escape and those who have vowed to stay behind.

A sweeping look at a humanitarian crisis, the documentary amplifies the views of children, mothers, soldiers, doctors, artists, volunteers, clergymen, and journalists who are transformed while witnessing ceaseless destruction and bloodshed. Featuring narration from Oscar-winning Dame Helen Mirren, FREEDOM ON FIRE is a saga of resilience that challenges the international community to oppose tyranny together.

WATCH THE TRAILER BELOW:

OPENING CEREMONY TIMELINE
5:30PM Doors Open
6:00PM Opening Remarks
6:30PM Begin Screening
8:30PM End of Film; Begin Reception