When Russia invaded Ukraine, the 100-year-old cinema Zhovten in Kyiv closed. But just two and a half months later it reopened.
– Before we opened the gates on May 12, we thought: ‘It’s war. Who’s going to the cinema now?’. But we opened anyway. We understood that it was necessary to help people and distract them from all the horrors that are going on around them, says the director of the cinema Julija Volodymyrivna.
Built in the 1930s, Zhovten is the oldest cinema building in Kyiv. It has survived both World War II and an arson attack in 2014.
“Thanks to them we can live”
More than two years after the invasion of Ukraine, Zhovten holds special screenings for the soldiers in Kyiv.
– An important part of the work is arranging tours for the military. Thanks to them, we can continue to live, work and make people happier, says video technician and cinematographer Yevhenija Yevdokymenko.
Watch K Special: Zhovten – the cinema of wartime Kyiv at SVT Play.