2022 Pitch Winner Kyiv Sofia Hollywood USAGM
Metadata
- 2022 Pitch Winner Kyiv Sofia Hollywood USAGM
- October 15, 2022
- Content Type Documentary
- Language English
- Transcript/Script ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Locator on screen – Sofia, Bugaria)) Mitko, where should I put it? Here. Here? ((MUSIC)) ((Yaroslava Kuzmenko, Refugee from Ukraine)) In 2016, I left the ICTV TV channel, where I was the main director of two important programs. Then I directed two popular TV series for another channel and made a short film, "Like in Hollywood," which received many prizes. ((Text on Screen: Film Title)) KYIV-SOFIA-HOLLYWOOD: The Unexpected Journey of Ukrainian Refugees ((NATS)) Alyona to son Honey, put your T-shirt on, put on your T-shirt. ((In Ukrainian)) Say “thank you.” Thank you. You are welcome. ((MUSIC)) ((Alyona Altukhova, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) In 2010, I moved to the city of Donetsk, which I loved. However, in 2014, I had to leave. I remember that day well - I was home alone and heard the first explosions at the airport. It was scary because I couldn't understand what was happening. We moved to Kharkiv, and in 2017, we finally settled in Kyiv. ((NATS/MUSIC Alyona and her son in Ukrainian)) What color is this little man? Red. ((MUSIC)) ((Alyona Altukhova, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) I was working with social media; I helped my friend. I went to Pilates. We enjoyed life. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((MUSIC)) ((Alyona Altukhova, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) When we heard the first explosions on the 24th and realized what they were, I immediately began to monitor the internet. On February 24, I cried all day. I just... I felt such emotions... I need to calm down. It was scary because I already had a child and understood that I was responsible not only for myself. ((Text on Screen/ Graphics/NATS/MUSIC)) Alyona and her son left their home seven days after the Russian invasion started. She found herself in Romania alone with her child, searching for options. ((Yaroslava Kuzmenko, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) On the 24th, our daughter woke us up early in the morning. She entered the room and said, "The war has begun." We heard the explosions, but they were not as loud because they shelled another district of Kyiv. I felt shocked and helpless. On the 24th, I still did not think of going anywhere. I just understood that we needed to stock up on food. That’s what people do in such situations. There were lines in the shops. We could not buy water. There was no bread. We were running between ATMs, trying to withdraw money - it was impossible to withdraw money. A friend called and said two seats were available in the car going to Uzhgorod. We agreed. ((NATS)) ((Yariv Lerner, CEO, Nu Boyana Film Studios)) ((In English) I was reading the news. Things were happening, and I could not believe the war would break out at all. I was like: "Nah, it will never happen." "Russia is going to invade Ukraine. Russia is going to…" - no, it couldn't happen. And then it did happen. And I was shocked. A couple of days later, I was contacted by Deadline, "How is the war in Ukraine going to affect your business?" And I thought, how can you even answer that kind of question? It's a humanitarian crisis; it's not affecting our business. It's affecting people. I couldn't even comprehend how to put those two things together. On February 26th, we put a post through B2Y. My partner Alex Kenanov said: "To all those in need in the film industry, and if you're looking for work, we're here to welcome you." ((Text on Screen/ Graphics/ NATS)) Nu Boyana Film Studios has produced films and television series for over half a century. Formerly state-owned and operated, it is now an independent Hollywood film company, owned by Nu Image and Millennium Media. It has participated in the production of more than 400 Hollywood films. ((NATS/MUSIC)) Biz mtg/English The goal for us this week is to create all the marketing materials to put this together. ((MUSIC)) ((Alyona Altukhova, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) I saw an announcement posted by a blogger saying that "Nu Boyana" in Bulgaria is helping Ukrainians with employment and accommodations. I decided to try and sent them my resume. They reached out to me. The most important thing for me was that I was with my child. He is four years old. I have no one to leave him with. I asked, "Can I work if I come with my son?" She said, "Yes, we want to help. Perhaps we can open a preschool here; maybe we will help enroll him in a preschool." Somehow, I believed her. Also, I had no other options. Center for Refugee Assistance "Mother Ukraine" ((NATS)) ((In Ukrainian)) Hello Hello Nice chill. Do you want help? Not today. If possible, I could volunteer - to help with something. I have time. And where are you from? I am from Kyiv, but I am now in Sofia. I work at the Nu Boyana studio. I clean the equipment. Is this your profession? My profession is a little different; I am a film director. But there was a job cleaning the equipment, so I am cleaning it. How did you find the job? I found it in an announcement that the studio placed And on which site? Refugees are ... Well, that was in March. I wrote to them in early March. It was on the studio's website, and one of my friends brought it to my attention. At the time, I was in Hungary. I wrote to the studio, and they said, come over; we have job fairs. So, I came from Hungary on March 10, and on the 12th, there was this fair; then, I waited another month for a meeting. It was not a quick process, but they rented the apartment where I live with my daughter for us. It is so nice to speak Ukrainian with you. Do you want to help? Yes Super. ((Yaroslava Kuzmenko, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) At the job fair, I was ready to take any job. Representatives from the chocolate factory in Bulgaria, in Veliko Tarnovo, were at the fair, and I even took their contact information. I thought if it didn't work out with the studio, we would go to Veliko Tarnovo, and I would work there - wrap candies. ((Text on Screen/ Graphics/Music)) Since the war began, Nu Boyana has employed as many as 30 Ukrainians at a time, working in a number of jobs including set decoration, make-up, video editing, wardrobe (there should not be a comma here) and special effects. ((NATS – Yaroslava learning English on Duolingo)) They want me to be a father. I neither read nor write. I neither read nor write. ((MUSIC)) ((Yaroslava Kuzmenko, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) To go on the movie set in a country where everyone speaks English or Bulgarian, I have to be able to interact with people. If one can't do that, how can you expect anything? I cannot even describe my experience. ((NATS)) Here in the corner. Over here, so it is not in the way. ((NAT/MUSIC)) ((Alyona Altukhova, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) I was hired to work in the film studio's public relations department and do social media. At the studio, I can confidently say my career skyrocketed. It is a lot of responsibility to be in charge of the official web site of the film studio, to cover the events here, to show people what happens at the studio. ((MUSIC)) ((Yariv Lerner, CEO, Nu Boyana Film Studios)) A lot of the people who came here to us were not of the film industry. So, we, through our Film Forge course, started teaching different departments. ((NATS/MUSIC)) Does anyone else have any suggestions? Give this sentence a read one more time. I don`t know, "had looked" and "found." Is it Okay? ((MUSIC)) ((Yaroslava Kuzmenko, Refugee from Ukraine)) You feel a little euphoria when you begin to understand someone who speaks another language. One day, I came home and said to my daughter, "Vasylysa, can you imagine? I understand Trevor!" ((Text on Screen/ Graphics/NATS/MUSIC)) The studio spent more than $100,000 on accommodations, food, transportation and classes and administrative services to assist the Ukrainian refugees working there. ((NATS)) ((Vlada Romanchenko, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) Yaroslava and Vasya invited me to live with them. I could not have imagined the sisterhood that we have developed here. We fell into our routine. We go to the studio in the morning and drink coffee first. When I return to Ukraine, I will probably keep saying. "My Bulgarian family." ((NATS)) Delicious My daughter did good, chosen a tasty melon. She will pass her exam tomorrow. Her HMT. (Ukrainian college entrance exam) Well, tell me how you prepared today. I wrote a trial text. How many times? Today? Six. On each subject? I do not want to study full-time in Ukraine and sit under sirens in classes. Our online form of education is not very developed. It's better to wait. Something may change. ((NATS/MUSIC)) Welcome. Are the apricots sweet? Yes Five hundred. Half a kilogram. Five hundred grams Half. On two levs? On two levs. Russian? Ukraine. Russian? Ukraine. ((Yaroslava Kuzmenko, Refugee from Ukraine)) Slowly, I am becoming comfortable here. I feel good, really. But when I go out into the city, I realize that my understanding of Bulgarian is lacking because understanding a little is not enough. People only understand me a little. It seemed like I had achieved something in life, but it was just an illusion. You come to another country, and you are a stranger. You have to adapt to the realities here. They don't know you, who you are, what you do. People have their own lives already. ((NATS)) It feels like we are in Kyiv. Khreschatyk (main street in Kyiv) without chestnut trees. Maybe someday they will have them here. It seems that we are not the only ones who think it looks like Khreshchatyk. Everyone sees it. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Yaroslava Kuzmenko, Refugee from Ukraine)) It may sound strange but I feel like I am home. I understand that this is a kind of parallel reality, and I am not at home; I am not in Kyiv. ((NATS)) Good evening. Brownie chocolate with vanilla. Vanilla, chocolate with cream Can I use a credit card? Cash only. ((Yaroslava Kuzmenko, Refugee from Ukraine)) These are two parallel realities: my life here and Ukraine in my heart. I'm constantly looking at my newsfeed, and being safe here did not prevent me from crying when I read the children's letters from Mariupol. Well, life must go on one way or another. ((NATS)) ((Alyona Altuhova, Refugee from Ukraine)) When we came here, I thought maybe it was for some time, and we would go home again. But, the conflict shows no signs of stopping, and I do not want to take my child to a country at war. We are here for now, but the question is open. ((NATS/ MUSIC)) Lerner: How was it since you came to Bulgaria? Good, but I want to work… In editorial? Yes. Great. I spoke about it in April, but there were no places. There are no places, well, Andriy just left. We have a computer. It is actually a place. We just have to go and meet Vesko. This is Vesko. He is the head of the editorial. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too. Andriy has obviously left us. He went back. Yaroslava is interested in getting into editorial. Edius, Final Cut, Da Vinci, and Avid Liquid. Cool. So, give her Andriy's computer and a couple of projects and test her out with various things. We can give her "Gangway." You know the movie we just shot, "Gangway"? Do you know each other? She will sit next to you on Monday. ((NATS)) Sausages, sausages. I sell sausages. I'll eat a piece of sausage. Sausage. ((Alyona Altuhova, Refugee from Ukraine)) I feel comfortable here. We adjusted. We found places to go with my son for a walk and shops we like. In Bulgaria, we already have some routines. I love being surrounded by nature here. I like the people I meet. Because actually, those we meet are trying to help and support us. Now, I we are happy with everything. ((NATS/MUSIC)) ((Locator on screen – Vitosha Mountain, Bulgaria)) ((Yaroslava Kuzmenko, Ukrainian Refugee)) ((in Ukrainian)) I would go back, of course, because I have many things going on there, but it depends on my daughter, everything depends on her decisions, at least for the next year. It depends on the situation in the country and the developments on the frontlines. If I did not have Vasylysa, I would probably volunteer or do something else inside Ukraine. However, I am responsible for her, and I would stay here for another year. ((NATS/MUSIC)) It seems that we constantly find pieces of Ukraine here in Bulgaria. In the city and in these mountains. ((Text on Screen/ Graphics/MUSIC)) Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, 7.5 million people have fled to Europe. A majority of them say they plan to stay put for now. How many will eventually return to Ukraine, remains unknown (Source: UNHCR). Writer, Producer: Tatiana Vorozhko Cinematographer: Svitlana Koval Video Editor: Kostiantyn Golubchyk Sr. Executive Producer: Euna Lee Commissioning Editor: Zsuzsanna Geller-Varga Editor: Amy Katz Assistant: Daria Pavlenko Additional Footage Nu Boyana Film Studios AFP AP Reuters Music Universal Production Music Associated Production Music Special Thanks Yolanda Lopez Ruslan Petrychka Yariv Lerner Nu Boyana Film Studios
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date October 14, 2022 20:38 EDT
- Byline Self-Narrated Documentary
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America - English