The Ukrainian Christians in Back to Bucha Are Just Like Those in the USA. By Steve Richards As we were editing Back to Bucha (shot in Ukraine at the beginning of 2023) it became clear that the original 76-minute version was more of a Christian film than I thought. The new 56-minute cut is better suited to secular audiences with shorter interviews of clergy and others. My natural perspective is to look at things from a theological point of view, especially since my time at Berkeley Divinity School at Yale almost ten years ago. I have always looked at the war in Ukraine as a battle joined in a quasi-metaphysical, theological realm. Especially when Putin and religious leaders in Russia talk about the patently absurd purpose of the war was to “de-satanize” Ukraine. Satanism, De-Satanization, and Exorcism in Contemporary Russian Rhetoric: Historical Reflections - Cornell University Press. Absurd because all I meet in Ukraine are Christians with roots dating back to the 10th century. Even St. Andrew was reportedly a bringer of the Gospels in the first century and is the patron saint of Ukraine (and Russia). Of course, they say the same thing about the west and the USA being run by satanists, so I guess we’re all in cahoots with the devil; as many in the USA might agree, but that’s another story. Suffice it to say audiences of Back to Bucha will see folks just like them along the Christian spectrum we see in America: from agnostics raised by Christian moms and grandmothers to those who attend church once or twice a year, to regular church goers. We also get the perspectives of clergy from Presbyterians to Catholics, to Orthodox, to Charismatic. Most of whom are speaking English. I asked a simple question of all whom I interviewed: “Where is the Spirit in all this?” So, with all these theological threads in the film I was glad that the Christian aspect of the Ukrainian Spirit made it through as I began screening the film for religious leaders and audiences in my orbit. Here’s one review we received from a Florida based Episcopal/Anglican priest: As a sequel to Richards’ first documentary journey to Bucha—a town representative of Ukrainian suffering as well as resistance under Russian siege—Back to Bucha is a profound meditation on the experience of loss and return, and the significance of place for human meaning and identity. At once impressionist and thematic, Richards weaves together interviews and personal testimonies to form a tapestry not just of human resilience, but perhaps even more of the greater Spirit that inspires the love of country and the love that binds together fellow citizens. It is in this Spirit that stories of the past, as well as hopes for the future, are carried with such graciousness. Absent is the sense of vengefulness, less still a countering sense of ethnic privilege or preeminence. Back to Bucha reveals a humble people, wanting to preserve and, by current necessity, restore a place in which to live, love and worship, according to the gifts of a deeply rich cultural and religious heritage. It is a study in how genuine faith turns the love of nation into simply and gracefully the love of home.” Not sure about “impressionistic and thematic” but it was clear how much Fr. Dave enjoyed and learned from the film about those he saw in it.
My goal? To give American Christians a chance to see just how much we have in common with our new friends, allies, and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. People just like us. It’s a witnessing of sorts by me and those in the film of how the Spirit plays such a crucial role in the conflict and in Ukrainian resilience. Something rarely talked about in the media. In the end, American audiences don’t see victims in Back to Bucha. Just those trying to raise their children in their own homes in their own country – and thanking God to be alive. They see people like us fighting for their freedom – and thanking God, America, and all who are in this fight with them.
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Spreading the Spirit of Ukraine Across the USA. By Steve Richards As the long-awaited counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces begin, we are supporting Ukraine by taking our hopeful film about Ukraine’s Spirit across America. We now have two versions of the film. The new 57-minute cut and the original 76-minute version which takes a deeper dive along Spiritual lines. Both provide great fundraising opportunities for Ukraine. Here’s what one supporter had to say after our Huntsville screening: “Our family just viewed the Alabama premiere of Back to Bucha at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. We loved the documentary and we are thankful that Steve Richards found the time to visit our campus and share his artful creation with us. The documentary was powerful and educational, from a perspective that only a boots on the ground approach can provide. I recommend this documentary to Ukrainians, American-Ukrainians, and Americans who wish to walk in the streets of Bucha, Kyiv, and Lviv and get an insightful discussion with the Ukrainians impacted by this war. I can recommend this film to all ages of audience, the context was not graphic, but rather an insight into personal, religious, family challenges.” - Tony Taylor Building upon our successful screenings and response to the film I am personally planning a 30+ screenings tour between Labor Day and Thanksgiving in regions across the country.
Here are the tentative dates:
Want to be part of it? Just go to the Screenings page by clicking here. Or just contact me directly at 305-310-2634 or email me at Stever@TheoEco.org to get the conversation started. What about the summer? As I’m based in Miami, I’ll be reaching out to folks on our list throughout South Florida from Tampa to Miami. So, wherever you are in the USA please consider a screening to support Ukraine and the Spirit both here and there. Of course, virtual screenings for groups large and small are always available. Looking forward to seeing you on the road and online! By Steve Richards We had a successful Alabama premiere of the new 1-hour version of Back to Bucha this past Sunday, June 4th at the venerable Wilson Hall Theater at the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). The Q&A afterwards included Fr. Roman Nebozhuk online from Kyiv who reported that contrary to what we might surmise from the news the traffic jams are just as bad now as before the full-scale invasion. Thanks so much to UAH. They provided the theater, the staff, and the energy to make this effort a success. As a donation driven project this help is vital to raising funds for all the non-profits involved: Global Ties Alabama, Project Cherkasy, and Bear Witness. To see the pictures and video from the event visit the facebook page at Back to Bucha – Alabama Premiere & Meeting with the Film Director, June 4 at 1 pm, UAH Wilson Hall | Facebook Thanks especially to Yaryna Zhurba from Global Ties Alabama who brought it all together. Here’s what she had to say after the screening: “Thank you for bringing "Back to Bucha" to Huntsville! I enjoyed watching it a lot. The film gives a big desire to go to Ukraine to be part of what's going on there. Luckily I'm going in two days. Otherwise I'd feel very homesick. It provides a true feeling of Ukraine.” “A film for all generations” her husband told me, and it was a joy to have their children in the audience. I felt like I was at the UCC Cathedral in Kyiv when watching the footage from there not so many Sundays ago. I could also imagine them at the Kindergarten in Kyiv with the other bright and beautiful children who actually enjoy going down to the basement bomb shelter when the sirens wail. The event also allowed us to honor International Children’s Day. As the film is so much about the moms and children of Ukraine having Ukrainian American children with their mom (and dad) in the audience gave it an extra poignancy for me, especially as Fr. Roman noted the death of a child in Kyiv last week in a missile attack. Ukraine: Russian missile attacks kill a child on International Children’s Day (amnesty.org) A special shout out to Amit Nepali our intrepid editor who somehow found 20 minutes of cuts from the original film without eliminating any of the interviews. And, of course, Valariia Vovk’s amazing composition is essential to the film and the feelings it evokes. To commemorate the occasion we are making the film available for free through Sunday June 11th for all to watch. To view it on Vimeo click here. This is the final instalment to Back to Bucha’s Press Kit which also includes still photos, the trailer, logline, Director’s Statement, etc. To see the entire Press Kit click here. The Women, Kids, Young Men, and Pastors of Ukraine’s Spirit.
Back to Bucha opens with a poem. A poem written by Phyllis Wheatley in 1784, an African American who captures the essence of what Ukrainians are fighting for: In every human Breast, God has implanted a Principle, which we call Love of Freedom; it is impatient of Oppression, and pants for Deliverance. Unlike the original Trek to Bucha shot in the early days of the full-scale invasion, Back to Bucha is filled with women and their children. Beginning in April 2022 in the film’s opening scenes in Bucha we meet Tonya at a destroyed coffee shop, sweeping up broken glass and trying to reopen the shop at least enough to serve free coffee to the workers and neighbors who were still there. Flash forward 10 months and we meet Tonya plus Julia, the shop’s owner. At the newly rebuilt Jul’s Coffee and Peace we get an upbeat and hopeful interview about Julia’s return with her family and the Spirit that drives them to rebuild. They believe God is watching over them. Back to Bucha is filled with scenes of life in Ukraine during January and February 2023. From Lviv to Kyiv to Bucha we get the real-life realities of Ukrainians and what’s changed since we were there in April 2022 shooting Trek to Bucha – and what hasn’t. For instance we see at the Kyiv train station that the ubiquitous armed soldiers - and their guns - are largely gone in what is a fully functioning, if underpopulated, Kyiv. We see life going on pretty well actually, aside from the sirens and power outages which are part of the fabric of life. Next in Kyiv the film takes us into a kindergarten where we get an interview with Andriana, a worker at the school. She tells us about the heartbreaking, though heartening day to day reality, of raising young children in Kyiv right now. We also get to meet several mothers of the students who talk about their experiences of first fleeing, and then returning to the city to raise their kids, in their homes, in their home country. Next up is Father Roman of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, the first of several pastors in the film. He talks about how various faiths in Ukraine work together to support Ukraine. We also hear from the Ukrainian Orthodox rector of St. Andrew’s in Bucha, perhaps the most iconic building in Ukraine since the mass graves and atrocities on its grounds made international headlines after the Russian retreat in the early days of the war. Between the two interviews we get a good take on what is happening from a theological perspective. But they aren’t the only ones, We also run into a Presbyterian Texas pastor at his church in Lviv, as well as an online service conducted by a Russian speaking pastor who keeps his flock together online since fleeing Kharkiv with his family to Lviv. We also reconnect with many of the young men from the first film. Young men of course have an added layer of concern to adapt to their new normal and “life interrupted-ness” that all Ukrainians experience. Young men in Ukraine live with the potential of being called into the military at any moment - and maybe even to the front lines. They are all ready. A highlight is the return to the recently moved and reopened Match Bistro and an interview with Alex and Maxim whom we met in April 2022 when the previous Match was serving 1500+ meals a day with World Central Kitchen. We also meet up with Sasha at the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv. Last time we saw him he and fellow students were organizing supply donations from all over the world for delivery to front line soldiers. In Bucha we got together again with Lyubimyr who heads up the Youth Council for the city of Bucha. The interview takes place in the same basement where he and his neighbors spent the early days of the full-scale invasion sheltering and Bucha’s occupation by the Russians. We also see how a new toilet in there will save them from having to use buckets should the need ever rise again. All of these encounters take place with Ukraine and the war as the backdrop. This includes walk arounds in Lviv, Kyiv, Bucha, Irpin and Hostomel where sirens were expected as were the power outages. The film ends with a bittersweetness that is Ukraine when we tour the Kindergarten basement bomb shelter and hear how the children have come to enjoy their time there. Thanks to the dedicated staff at the school whom we see singing and dancing with the little ones in the film’s inspirational finale. We are very excited to announce the Alabama premiere of Back to Bucha on Sunday, June 4th, 2023 At 1:00 PM (9PM Bucha Time). We are especially pleased to screen the film in such a great venue: Wilson Hall Theater at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. The film’s director Steve Richards will be in attendance to lead the Q&A after the event that will also include Fr. Roman Nebozhuk online from Kyiv.
How this all came together so quickly shows just how spirit driven this documentary project can be. We premiered the film less than three weeks ago in Boston at the Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church on April 30th where Alex Gamota from Bear Witness was emcee. Bear Witness is the Executive Producer of the film. The event was livestreamed on Facebook Live where Yaryna Zhurba from Global Ties Alabama was watching. How did she know about it? Alex had met with a friend of a friend at a Washington, DC event and told them about it. Within a few days we were confirming details with the University of Alabama in Huntsville. They are providing the theater, the staff, and much energy to make this effort a success. As a donation driven event this help is vital. Fortunately, everybody likes the film and feel like it’s one that Americans should see. Why? Because it is hard not to support the Ukrainian people after the empathy the film engenders. The film shows people just like us dealing with Russia’s mayhem - especially the moms just trying to raise their families, in their own homes, in their own country, after returning to Kyiv and Bucha after the war’s early months. There is no charge to attend the screening though donations are encouraged with 50% of the net proceeds going to: Global Ties Alabama, Project Cherkasy, and Bear Witness. Tickets are available on Eventbrite where donations can also be made by clicking here. For more info contact Steve Richards at 305.310.2634 (SteveR@TheoEco.org).
We had a wonderful premiere in Boston (standing room-only) on Sunday complete with a performance of the film’s theme “The War We Didn’t Ask For” from Valeriia Vovk and a Q&A session with some of the film’s stars live from Kyiv.
To celebrate we are making the film available for free to all through Sunday May 7th for those that missed the event, and for everybody who would like to watch the film at their leisure. We are also allowing downloads for this period for those that might want to drop it to a thumb drive for others that can’t stream it. To see the Facebook livestream of the entire two-and-a-half-hour event click here. Woo hoo! The day is almost here and we are SO looking forward to the premiere of Back to Bucha: Finding the Spirit in Ukraine at the place where it all began, Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church in Boston tomorrow, Sunday the 30th. The screening will take place at 12:30 PM Boston time (19:30 Bucha time), and several of the film’s “stars” in Ukraine will participate in the Q&A afterwards via Zoom. The entire event will be live streamed on Facebook Live at facebook.com/TheoEcoOrg so that all can join us worldwide live from Boston and Ukraine. Two of the film’s “stars” who will be joining us include Father Roman Nebozhuk (UCC) and his daughter Andriana in Kyiv. Fr. Roman is Archpriest of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv and at the center of the ecumenical community in Kyiv working with Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Jewish, and Islamic faith leaders there. Andriana is an attorney in Kyiv who also works at the Nursery school so prominent in the new film where she acts as both guide and impassioned interviewee. I am also hopeful that several others will be joining as well including the ladies at Jul’s Coffee and Peace coffee shop in Bucha. This is going to be a celebration! I am also very excited that Valeriia Vovk will be performing The War We Didn’t Ask For and several other selections before the screening. Valeriia donated the use of this song which is featured poignantly throughout the film – and it really sets the tone. Originally from Odesa she has Boston ties as a graduate of Berklee College of Music and as a member of Bear Witness where I was introduced to her by its president Alex Gamota. Both Valeriia and Alex will be joining the Q&A panel in Boston. For more see Back to Bucha – Valeriia Vovk to Perform at Boston Premiere (theoeco.org)
Seats are still available and registering for the event is encouraged to assure you have a seat. To register click here. There is no charge to attend though donations are encouraged. 50% of net proceeds will go to Ukraine Forward and Bear Witness. To donate click here. I hope to see you there or on TheoEco’s facebook page! By Steve Richards
This past January when I made it to Kyiv I posted a video (Hello from Kyiv! Wish You Were Here) showing how normal – if somewhat empty – Kyiv seemed. Shops open; people on the streets; plenty of restaurants to choose from; Ubers available; trains running, it was a far cry from my first visit in April 2022, a month after the full-scale invasion. The post triggered a somewhat alarming reply on Facebook though. A question being asked increasingly in America: “Why should we bother to help Ukraine?” This was my reply: “Imagine the USA with the east coast and Florida under Russian control but you're in Chicago and everything is open. But the Russians are also best buddies with Canada and have already launched an attack from there that almost succeeded but was repelled, but still threatening to happen again in the coming months. Also imagine ongoing missiles and drone strikes. Then imagine a tourist coming and taking pics for a week while things are good. So, try to take my video in context.” Since then I’ve thought A LOT about this question. Because as obvious as it is to me, it’s not obvious to many in the USA. So let me give it a more thoughtful try. A Cold War Kid A Cold War Kid means I was brought up in the time before Gorbachev and was already 30 years old at the time Ukraine achieved its independence in the aftermath of the Soviet Union’s break up in 1991. The Cold War began at the end of the second world war and was framed as an ideological, political, economic, cultural war between capitalism and democracy on one hand, versus communism and autocracy on the other. All in a new technological age of missiles, nuclear weapons and the resulting nuclear arms race as the menacing backdrop. It was deemed “cold” because the USA and the USSR didn’t fire shots at each other. Rather we fought largely through our proxies and our spies. If you want to do the math I am 62 now and for each of those years I’ve been under threat from nuclear attack by Russia. All of us in the USA have been – and still are. When I was born in 1960 ICBMs were a new thing and the Soviet Union and USA had enough pointed at each other, along with bombers and submarine-based missiles, to wipe each other out. Growing up in the cold war meant we all knew we were under constant threat and there was nothing we could do about it. I personally remember coming to this realization in middle school. We knew that Russia and the Soviets were not our buddies. In fact, if not for all our weapons and NATO they might kill us all if they could. They still can: Putin controls around 5,977 such warheads as of 2022, compared to 5,428 controlled by U.S. President Joe Biden, according to the Federation of American Scientists. Around 1,500 of those Russian warheads are retired (but probably still intact), 2889 are in reserve and around 1588 are deployed strategic warheads. About 812 are deployed on land-based ballistic missiles, about 576 on submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and around 200 at heavy bomber bases, according to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Factbox: Russia's nuclear arsenal: How big is it and who controls it? | Reuters Intriguingly, a lot of those missiles used to be based in Ukraine. But, In the aftermath of the Soviet breakup Ukraine voluntarily gave up their nukes in return for security guarantees from the USA, the UK, and, incredibly, Russia. This deal was memorialized in the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Russia took control of Ukraine’s nuclear stockpiles. Those nukes are still meant for one place though; the USA and its allies, as we are frequently reminded by Putin, his generals, the Russian press, milbloggers, etc. So, in keeping an eye on our own personal self-interest let’s not lose sight of America’s #1 nemesis for the past 78 years. It is Russia. I am excited to announce that Valeriia Vovk (ValeriiaVovk.com), composer of The War We Didn’t Ask For, will be performing at the Boston premiere of Back to Bucha on April 30th. Valeriia donated the use of her song which is featured in the film and the film’s trailer. Originally from Odessa, Ukraine she uses her music as a foundation for her activism for Ukraine. She has Boston ties as a recent graduate of Berklee College of Music and as a member of Bear Witness where I was introduced to her by Alex Gamota. Bear Witness is an Executive Producer of Back to Bucha. As she describes it: “The War We Didn’t Ask For is an aggressive song about the beginning of war. It translates the anger, fear, sadness, and readiness to fight”. When I first heard it I was blown away even though I didn’t understand the words as she sings them in Ukrainian. When I watched the video with English captions I noted the softer elements of the song with phrases like: “You could hear how everyone in the country had a prayer on their lips”; “We’ve been told that we’re the flowers of Ukraine”; and perhaps most of all: “Because freedom is everything to us”. I also love: “That the children of Kozaks fight” and “Ukraine you are alive!”.
Непрошена Війна (The War We Didn't Ask For) | Valeriia Vovk - YouTube Valeriia’s performance and Back to Bucha’s premiere screening will take place at Christ the King Ukrainian Catholic Church in Jamaica Plain at 12:30 PM Boston time (18:30 Bucha time). We are also hopeful that a star or two in Ukraine will be able to participate in the Q&A afterwards. The entire event will be live streamed on Facebook Live. To reserve a seat at the premiere click here. Our new documentary Back to Bucha: Finding the Spirit in Ukraine is in the final editing stage and will be ready at the end of April - and ready for screenings starting in May.
What’s it about? Executive Producer Alex Gamota at Bear Witness sums it up this way: "Back to Bucha is a snapshot of Ukraine's resilience at the most human level: lives, livelihoods, and homes being rebuilt, religious faiths of all types being tested and strengthened, families, including with children, adjusting to the new..."normal." I shot the film in Ukraine in January and February a couple months back. While there I was struck by the moms I encountered talking about God and how He is looking out for them. Women are the biggest difference between now and last Spring when I was there shooting Trek to Bucha. They are back. Why? Because they want to raise their kids in their own homes in their own country. Check out the trailer and you’ll see what I mean. Screenings are appropriate for churches, community centers, schools, universities, and any organization interested in sharing these unique stories from Ukraine with their community. Screenings can take place both in-person and virtually. Almost all in the film speak English making the film ideal for American audiences. So, if you have a group that wants to be informed, inspired, and entertained I personally welcome the opportunity to show Back to Bucha to your community. Just go to the Screenings page and fill out the form for more information. Thanks! Steve Richards |
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