397 minutes of silence for the dead children of Ukraine

To raise awareness of the children’s situation in Ukraine, Stockholm International Film Festival made the 397-minute long film тиша (Silence), where each minute represents a child killed in the war. It has now been about eight months since the start of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and according to the UN report on October 17, 397 children have been killed and 723 children have been injured so far. Now, Stockholm Film Festival is starting a charity fundraiser for the children of Ukraine as part of Ukraine being this year's focus country of the festival.

тиша is a tribute and recognition of all the innocent children murdered in the war. The voice over in the film is done by the Ukrainian actress Kateryna Kisten, who fled the war and started a new life in Sweden. Kisten has previously acted together with President Zelenskyy in the series "Servant of the People".

On Monday, October 17, тиша was shown for the first time to the UNICEF ambassador Eva Röse, Ukrainian actress Kateryna Kisten at Sture cinema in Stockholm.

тиша will be shown as a manifestation at Norrmalmstorg in Stockholm on November 7th between 3pm-10pm. Parisa Liljestrand, The Minister for Culture, Paulina Brandberg, Minister for Equality and Amanda Lind, Chairman of the Culture Committee will attend the screening. All proceeds collected for the project will go directly to UNICEF to help the children in Ukraine.

- So inexplicably cruel, and inhumane. There are no words for this... Only horror. Helplessness. Irreparable grief. I sit for an hour in silence, every minute of which the bell is ringing for one life that has just disappeared. A minute of silence in memory of one child, the film is 397 minutes. I was shocked... I didn't want to talk.. I really wanted to do something immediately!... change something! In myself! In the world! IN TODAY!!! Tomorrow will be too late! Silence tomorrow.... says Kateryna Kisten.

- I was totally unprepared for my reaction and it was a rare experience to sit in the movie theater. It was a meeting within all that life contains, if you dare to look into yourself in this context. The sound of silence from the movie was screaming so loud that the tears never stopped flowing, says Eva Röse.

Ukraine is a country with a rich film history. The country has achieved great international success in recent years and has become one of Europe's most prominent film nations. Stockholm Film Festival has chosen Ukraine as focus country with an extensive program with new award-winning Ukrainian films, panel discussions, works in progress and several Ukrainian directors will be attending the festival in Stockholm.

A short video from the screening of тиша on October 17 can be seen HERE.