The IX International Documentary Film Festival on Human Rights Docudays UA begins this Wednesday 23 March. From then until 29 March there will be an opportunity to see exciting new works from Ukrainian directors, as well as films from around the world.

The theme of this year’s film festival is in the form of a question: Does authoritarianism have a chance of taking hold in Ukraine?  The entire festival week will address this question via films and discussion on freedom of speech, freedom of peaceful assembly, analysis of totalitarian regimes and methods of struggle against them in different countries.

The festival will open with a favourite of many international festivals – the tragicomedy “Diplomat” by Danish producer Mars Brugger.  The opening ceremony will be hosted by journalists Yehor Sobolyev and Marichka Padalko.

This year there will be three competitions with prizes: DOCU/LIFE; DOCU/LAW; DOCU/BRIEFLY.  A competition for films of up to 45 minutes is being held for the first time.  Since 2009 students from Kyiv institutes have also taken part in judging the best film.  The festival viewers also traditionally select their winner through an anonymous questionnaire.

For the third year now a very special prize will be awarded in memory of our friend and festival producer Andriy Matrosov.  The prize will be awarded by the Docudays UA team to the film expressing the most love.

All events and film showings at the House of Cinema (6 Saksanska St) are, as always, free of charge.  There is a single price of 20 UAH for a ticket to the viewings at the cinema Kinopanorama (19 Rustaveli St).