Supporting Filmmakers : UKRAINE APPEAL

We are a group of Irish writers, directors and producers who have watched this past few week’s events unfold with horror; a horror intensified through personal stories of colleagues and friends directly affected by this conflict.

We believe our moral imperative is to support those on the frontline reporting the truth, who are putting themselves in direct danger doing the essential job of witnessing, documenting, and broadcasting history on our behalf.

We hope to inspire anyone who cares about freedom of the press and especially our colleagues in the audiovisual industry to take up this challenge to donate money, time or contribute with your own fundraising events to support filmmakers and reporters in Europe who desperately need our help.

And all funds collected will go to these two organisations working on the front line:

DOCUDAYS UA –

"Docudays UA and NGO Docudays team are raising money for Ukrainian filmmakers who are now bravely and daringly documenting the events of the war in Ukraine: recording war crimes, filming footage for the international media and for their future films which will later tell the world a more in-depth story of the situation in our country." (https://docudays.ua/eng/)

 

 

ICFR –

"Emergency Fund for Filmmakers" is a fund set up by the ICFR

for film practitioners directly in danger due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The fund aims to help filmmakers with small grants to cover temporary relocation expenses legal and administrative fees (visas etc.) required during the current situation. The ICFR is run by the EFA, IDFA and IFFR. (https://www.icfr.international/news/emergency-fund-for-filmmakers/)

FUND-RAISING EVENTS SO FAR –

Designer Clothes and Movie Memorabilia Sale

 

This event is now over and you helped raise nearly €2000 euro for our fund - thank you to all who attended and donated.

 

 

Some of the stories from people we have known since this conflict began.

 

Five filmmakers are hiding in a bunker in Kyiv, trying to keep a record of this war while putting themselves in direct danger. Several filmmakers disappeared during the second round of shelling in Kyiv. So far, all have re-surfaced, but they have had to leave their homes, separate from their partners, and are hiding out with little support. Another woman was leaving with her three-year-old son. She said goodbye to her husband, but as they turned away, the bridge he was crossing exploded. That was last week. There will be more to come. These are the stories that push us to act. 

 

 

 

This fundraising event was made possible with support from the Screen Directors Guild Ireland.

 

WHO WE ARE:

 

Brian Deane is an Irish writer, producer, director, and founder of TW Films with close links to the Ukrainian conflict. 

Órla Murphy is an award-winning Writer-Director who has made drama and documentaries for film, theatre and radio over the past 15 years.  

Roisin Kearney is a freelance writer/director who has worked in Film TV and Theatre for over 20 years. 

 

Brendan Culleton is a filmmaker and teacher at the National Film School who has been making documentaries and dramas for 20 years for Irish and international audiences.

 

Irina Maldea started her career in the national film studios in Romania and is now based in Ireland, where she directs award-winning documentaries for broadcaster and theatrical distribution.

 

Thanks for your support.

 

Brian, Órla, Róisín, Brendan & Irina.

Photos Curtesy of ©Sergi Mykhalchuk, ©RavlaDologova.