Ukrainian refugee need final push to realise film dreams

Anna Gorozhenko, a Ukrainian refugee living in York, is asking the community to help her finish a film project she started back in her home country, before the war derailed the final edits.

Anna, who is prolific historical novelist and screenwriter as well as a journalist, has created a Ukrainian 18th century film called History in Style, all about Ukrainian baroque and life in Kyiv in 1730-1750.

Telling the stories of real characters who lived in the Kyiv region, the film was made with dozens of historians, museum workers and volunteer actors including a musician who served in the Ukrainian army who was tragically killed in the war just a few weeks ago.

History is Style is 95% completed but now Anna desperately needs help to finish the final post-production edits so she can made her film dream a reality, not just for herself but in tribute to all those volunteers, including that late musician, who helped create it.

Anna has now launched a Crowdfunder appeal looking to raise £4,999 to finish the project. This will cover all the post-production costs including translating and subtitling the film into English.

You can see a taster of the whole project here.

Anna left Ukraine with her daughter last year following Russia’s invasion but her husband, who is also a journalist, stayed behind. Since arriving in York last year, Anna has been working with BBC Radio York on telling the stories of other Ukrainians living in North Yorkshire.

Anna says: “History in Style has been such a community effort involving so many different people back home in Ukraine. The death of Davyd, one of the musicians in the film, has made me more motivated than ever to finish this film in tribute to him and everyone else who helped. We’re so near the finish line, I’d be so grateful for any support to get it finalised and ready for people to enjoy.”

If you’d like to support Anna’s project please donate to the Crowdfunding appeal here: Crowdfunding to finished video Project about "Ukrainian Baroque" Period on JustGiving.