The First Screening of the “1,000 Minutes of Student Cinema” Project Filled the Dovzhenko Centre

On July 24, the opening of the cultural and educational project “1,000 Minutes of Student Cinema”, initiated by the Institute of Screen Arts of the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Karyi University of Theatre, Cinema and Television, took place at the Dovzhenko Centre. The first screening filled the venue with students and lecturers, representatives of state institutions and the film industry, as well as audiences interested in contemporary Ukrainian and student cinema.

The launch of the project demonstrated that young Ukrainian cinema is gradually moving beyond university classrooms and building a dialogue with a wider audience. “1,000 Minutes of Student Cinema” is intended to become a permanent platform for screening student and debut films, facilitating professional discussions and bringing filmmakers together with audiences.

The participation of representatives from different sectors of the Ukrainian film industry gave the opening particular significance. Young filmmakers and audiences were welcomed by Andrii Osipov, Head of the Ukrainian State Film Agency; Ihor Hladun, Head of the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre; Ihor Savkin, a member of the Supervisory Board of Multiplex; and Serhii Mirankov, Head of the Institute of Screen Arts.

In their speeches, they emphasized the importance of cooperation between the state, educational institutions, cultural organizations, and the film industry. Such cooperation should support not only the production of student films but also their continued public life: screenings, professional discussions, distribution, and access to wider audiences.

Andrii Osipov described the launch of the project as an important event for young filmmakers and expressed his hope that the initiative would continue to develop:

“Let us work together to make 1,000 minutes of student cinema grow into 1,000 hours of student cinema — first and foremost in terms of quality.”

Ihor Hladun emphasized that supporting young filmmakers corresponds to the mission of the Dovzhenko Centre as a space dedicated to preserving and interpreting Ukraine’s cinematic heritage.

“When Serhii Mirankov approached us, we immediately understood that this was also our mission — to create a space where our young people could take leading positions in the country’s cinematic landscape. All our archives are always open to students for the study of our cultural heritage”, he said.

Ihor Savkin expressed hope that screenings like these could become the foundation for the future distribution of films by young directors. For his part, Serhii Mirankov emphasized that the project’s opening was only the beginning of a series of events planned for the summer and autumn, with the main goal of giving student cinema greater visibility and helping young filmmakers find their audiences.

The opening remarks were also delivered by Polina Melnychuk, coordinator of the KREM student cultural and educational platform — “Personnel Reserve of Screen Arts” — and a third-year student in the Film Studies educational and professional programme. She emphasized that the launch of the project was made possible through the joint efforts of the university, its partners, and the student team. She also thanked the KREM participants who contributed to the preparation and organization of the event: Vladyslav Bebeshko, Valeriia Tsarenko, Veronika Trushina, Mariia Irchak, Kateryna Potapovych, Mariia Azizova, Oleh Zozulia, and Anton Malynovskyi.

The first screening programme featured nine student films. It was followed by an open discussion with their filmmakers, moderated by film scholar Vladyslav Bebeshko. For the young filmmakers — including Kyrylo Soloshchenko, Illia Horokhovskyi, Tigran Petrovskyi, Karolina Singh, Volodymyr Dobryvechir, and Olha Savchenko — this was an opportunity to hear the audience’s reactions directly, explain their creative decisions, and gain experience presenting their work publicly.

The audience, in turn, had the opportunity to ask questions that arose after the screenings and communicate directly with the filmmakers.

The project also brought together a state institution, a higher education institution, a national film archive, and the country’s largest cinema chain. This configuration demonstrates an effort to create a complete development pathway for young filmmakers — from education and the creation of their first works to meeting audiences, professional discussion, and further promotion.

This is particularly significant for Ukrainian student cinema. One of its longstanding challenges has been the lack of a sustainable system of public screenings, festival promotion, and subsequent distribution. Many student films remained largely confined to university or professional circles. Therefore, “1,000 Minutes of Student Cinema” was conceived not merely as a series of screenings, but as an attempt to establish a permanent mechanism for bringing student films together with audiences.

The choice of the Dovzhenko Centre as the venue for the project’s opening also carries symbolic significance. It is a space where the preservation and interpretation of Ukraine’s cinematic heritage are combined with support for the contemporary filmmaking process. The venue thus became a place where young filmmakers could bring their work to a wider audience.

The project launched at a time when Ukrainian culture continues to create new works despite the ongoing war. Regular public screenings of Ukrainian films are not only cultural events but also a way of maintaining professional connections, social dialogue, and cultural resilience.

The next events of the “1,000 Minutes of Student Cinema” project will take place throughout the summer and autumn of 2026.

The project is implemented by the Institute of Screen Arts of the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Karyi University of Theatre, Cinema and Television and the KREM student cultural and educational platform — “Personnel Reserve of Screen Arts” — with the support of the Ukrainian State Film Agency.

General Partner: Dovzhenko Centre.
Partners: Multiplex, Patriot Rental, Film Crew Academy, the “Watch Ukrainian” Association, and Sense Hub by Sense Bank.

• YouTube посилання: “1000 Minutes of Student Cinema”: What Young Directors Presented on the Big Screen”
• Photo by: Mariia Azizova.