Український друг Сталіна? Олександр Довженко

Description:

The video discusses the recent destruction of the Dovzhenko Center, an event that echoes the earlier devastation of Ukrainian filmmaker Oleksandr Dovzhenko by Stalin, who had been his "night friend" for years. This destruction is portrayed as a pivotal moment in the 1940s cultural life of Ukraine, illustrating Stalin’s total control over culture and his directive that Ukrainians should be subjugated. The conflict between the artist and the regime, now intensified by the war, serves as a litmus test for the nation’s values. While the authorities managed to break Dovzhenko and force him into internal exile, the video questions whether the current regime can do the same to the Dovzhenko Center, and explains how viewers can help protect this institution named after one of Ukraine’s most renowned artistic geniuses.