Generation Maidan: AYear of Revolution & War (2015)

A Messy Moment Media and BABYLON’13 documentary film

English voice over and subtitles, 78 min., color, Ukraine 

Meet the director, ANDREWTKACH!

Thursday, August 6, 2015at 7 p.m.

Admission (includes reception and gallery access): $15;

$10 for members and seniors; $5 for students 

They overthrew an autocrat by putting their lives on theline in Kyiv's main square. But that was only the first battle of Ukraine’sMaidan generation. Now they fight oligarchs and corrupt politicians in thecapital and pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. 

From the first day of the protests, a collective ofvoluntary filmmakers called Babylon’13 also risked everything to capturehistory in the making. With emotions still smoldering after the massacre of 100protestors, Director Andrew Tkach talked to the revolution's medics, musiciansand foot soldiers. No one knew then that their victory would be so short lived.Maidan activists would soon face imprisonment and torture by separatists inDonetsk and a full-fledged Russian invasion if they joined the military fightin eastern Ukraine. That's where the filmmakers go along with a former prisonerof the separatists, who revisits the same basement cell where he was beaten andlocked up for 70 days. 

The film also captures the terrible plight of civilianscaught in a war where "bus stops have become battlegrounds," andhandicapped children can't escape the often "indiscriminateshelling." The front-line footage and searing testimonials are woventogether to tell an unforgettable story. 

Generation Maidan was an official selection ofGeneva’s Human Rights Film Festival (FIFDH.ch) in March, 2015.