Retrospective "An Evening on Ivan Kupala"

Celebrating the 95th anniversary of the cinema throughout the year, we are traveling back to the 1960s on June 28 at 3:00 PM with the film "A Night on Ivan Kupala" (1968) by the outstanding director Yuri Ilyenko.

The first Ukrainian folk-horror, banned by Soviet censorship. The plot centers on a dramatic story of a Ukrainian Faust. A young laborer, Petro, falls in love with his master's daughter, who reciprocates his feelings. After her father refuses to let them marry because of Petro's poverty, the young man goes to a tavern in despair. There, he meets Basavryuk, who is believed to be the devil. Basavryuk offers Petro a terrifying deal that will lead to tragic consequences.

"A Night on Ivan Kupala" was Yuri Ilyenko’s second directorial work. It was subjected to brutal Soviet censorship and banned from screenings, sharing the fate of his previous film, "Well for the Thirsty." The film is officially considered the first Ukrainian folk-horror movie.

Traditionally, this special screening will be accompanied by an introduction from film experts from the @dovzhenko_center. The film will be presented by Stanislav Bytiutskyi (@bytiutskyi) — director, film critic, and head of the Research and Programming Department at the Dovzhenko Centre.