Local Residents Invited to Free Screening of Ukrainian War Documentary at Kenworthy Performing Arts Center

The documentary series 'Women Guardians at War' by Ukrainian filmmaker Volodymyr Sydko will be shown on March 2, 2024, at the Kenworthy Performing Arts Center in Moscow. The series features the experiences of women during the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The event is free to the public and is sponsored by Washington State University departments and Lost Horse Press.

The series includes stories of a machine gunner who writes poetry, a volunteer who helps return deceased Ukrainian soldiers, and a mother who cooks for soldiers. Gabriella Reznowski, a librarian at WSU, was introduced to Sydko’s films and was impressed by the stories of bravery and determination.

Reznowski has arranged a panel for the screening, which will include local Ukrainian community members. They will introduce the five short films and participate in a Q&A session. The panel will be led by Andrei Smertenko, WSU associate professor of molecular plant sciences. Many panelists have experienced the war firsthand, having arrived in the Palouse in 2022 and 2023.

The film features Liudmyla Kravchenka, a bus driver who now cooks for the Ukrainian military, and Tetiana Pototska, a travel agency owner who volunteers to retrieve the bodies of Ukrainians who died in the war. These women, along with others in the film, use their skills in various areas, including cooking, defense, the arts, and medical care.

Olena Pedia, who moved to Pullman in 2023 from Russian-occupied Melitopol, will introduce the film about Oksana “Xena” Rubaniak, a machine gunner who volunteered for the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Pedia, who grew up watching “Xena: Warrior Princess” on television in Ukraine, admires Rubaniak. The film series aims to showcase the strength and resilience of Ukrainian women during the war.

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