Where to take your restless little ones during the festival? At this year’s Docudays UA, we are presenting programs that will be interesting for all age groups, which we will introduce on our website step by step. Today, we are announcing animated films and a special program for children aged 3 and older, created through the initiative of the festival’s friends — Latvian producer Uldis Cekulis and director Krista Burāne.
As part of the DOCU/YOUTH program, you will be able to watch a series of colorful animations The Magic Wardrobe by Krista Burāne and a charming puppet thriller about robots and dreams, The Nap by Nils Skapāns.
Trailer from The Nap
“Each of the five short musical animated films from The Magic Wardrobe was created by a different artist with their own unique style. In the end I believe we succeeded in creating magical worlds that know how to keep secrets, bring joy, scare a little, encourage you to embark on adventures together”. — shares Uldis Cekulis.
Trailer from The Magic Wardrobe
Latvian producer Uldis Cekulis is a long-time friend of Docudays UA, who has visited the festival multiple times and has served on the jury. His studio, VFS FILMS, co-produced films that represented Ukraine and Lithuania in the Oscar race for Best International Feature Film. This year, Uldis will host a live game program based on the animated stories from our big screens:
Still from the film The Magic Wardrobe
“We cannot let this war poison the sensitive souls of children — they need encouragement and resilience. That is why we decided that screening our animations in Ukraine is a priority. Kateryna Hantseva, a director from Kharkiv, completed an internship at our studio, and she not only translated the film texts into Ukrainian but also did a fantastic job dubbing them.”
Director Ivan Sautkin was the first to screen The Magic Wardrobe in Ukraine, delivering a symbolic gift from Baltic colleagues to the children of the frontline city of Kramatorsk for the New Year. He shared his impressions of the event:
“The screening took place at the cultural space Terykon, which was opened by my friends from the volunteer NGO “BazaUA”. The venue is located in a safe basement and is equipped so that children can come to learn and express their creativity. The kids really love their Terykon, and a unique children's subculture has formed around the space. Children of all ages attended our event — from three to twelve years old — watching the films with great attention and absolute delight. They laughed, sang along with the songs, even though they were in a language unfamiliar to them. But the real climax of the screening came when the film creators appeared on screen. It's not always easy for young children to stay focused for long, but this time the conversation lasted surprisingly long. The kids asked smart and curious questions, and the film team shared stories about the animations and their backgrounds. I can’t recall a more touching Q&A — everyone was truly happy.”
Read more about the animated films and their creators from the DOCU/YOUTH program via the link — and by the end of May, we will share a detailed schedule of events, which we wholeheartedly invite you to attend with the whole family!
