The Ukrainian Youth Association in Bradford arranged a screening of the film Bitter Harvest for its members and the wider community on Sunday 5th March.

Bitter Harvest tells the story of Ukrainian peasants who are persecuted and deliberately targeted during the Holodomor in 1930’s Soviet Ukraine. Millions of Ukrainian’s died in a manmade famine caused by Stalin’s brutal crackdown on the Ukrainian nation and a catastrophic agricultural policy.

Approximately 100 CYMivtsi and members of the wider community in Bradford and surrounding regions attended the screening. Andriy Demtschuk, chair of the Ukrainian Youth Association in Bradford said “The Holodomor was a tragic period in Ukrainian history and CYMivtsi, Ukrainians and the wider population need to know about the Genocidal policies against the Ukrainian nation. This film is a great tool to raise awareness of this tragedy”.

Lev Watach, a CYMivets from Leeds, worked on the film as the third assistant director and came to the screening to share his experiences and thoughts on the film. Lev said “It was an honour to work on a project, which raises awareness of such a heartbreaking topic, which is close to my roots”. Ihor Miroschnichenko, who was an extra in the film, also joined the community for the screening.

It is important for all CYMivtsi to honour the memory of those who perished during the Holodomor and to spread the message so that no other Ukrainian’s nor other people should ever suffer the same fate.

Eternal memory to the victims of Holodomor.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR