The “Europe on Screen” Film Festival and the Embassy of Ukraine present an extra screening of the documentary film “The Heaven’s Hundred”

The “Europe on Screen” Film Festival and the Embassy of Ukraine present an extra screening of the documentary film “The Heaven’s Hundred” about the last days of the pro-democracy protests in Kyiv (December 2013-February 2014) that led to the demise of a corrupt and criminal government.

BACKGROUND
Ukraine is located in Central-Eastern Europe. It borders on the European Union (EU), but is not yet a member. Since Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, its citizens have wanted to live in a prosperous democratic state, where their rights are respected – on the example of their Western neighbors. Unfortunately, the Soviet system has proven itself difficult to shake off. In November 2013 the ex-President Viktor Yanukovych refused to sign the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement, which was supposed to bring Ukraine closer to Europe. Ukrainians felt cheated. Several hundred of them (mostly students) started a protest in the center of the capital, Kyiv, in a place that became internationally known as “Maidan”. On November 30th the government decided to disperse the peaceful protest with violent force. The whole country was shocked.
A hundred thousand Ukrainians came to Maidan to voice their support for freedom of speech and other democratic rights. A government that has stained its hands with blood should resign, the protesters demanded. On December 16th the government adopted draconian anti-democratic laws that were meant to crush the protests by curbing individual freedoms. A million Ukrainians came to Maidan to protest. Protests were also going on in other cities across the country. The leaders reacted with extreme brutal force. They used professional sniper rifles against the protesters. Some were shot, others were beaten, tortured, kidnapped, and killed by both, official agents 2 of the former government, and unofficially hired thugs. More than a hundred died. Many are still missing. It was after the bloodiest days of the protests, 18-20 February, that the anger of the people reached its peak. Yanukovych escaped abroad leaving the country in danger of a constitutional crisis. On February 28th the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine issued an order for his arrest and the arrest of 23 other former top officials. By that time most of them had already left the country. According to the interim Prosecutor General of Ukraine, with them they took an estimated 100 billion USD of stolen government funds. More than Ukriane’s annual state budget.

FILM
18+ (violence) – 45 mins. – Ukraine – 2014 – Eng (dub)/Ukr/Rus Eng subs

“The Heaven’s Hundred” is the first film in the series of documentaries about Euromaidan, “The Winter That Changed Us.” Its peculiarity is that the filming was done by different filmmakers who, by their own professional calling, found themselves in the thick of action. The series of documentaries about Euromaidan is not intended to explain anything. Its task is to show the events through the eyes of witnesses, ordinary people, by making public the unique footage shot by different cameramen. “The Heaven’s Hundred” follows the last and most bloody days of confrontation as told by eyewitnesses of the events, participants and relatives of those who were killed.

SCREENING
The screening will take place at UNTAR TKC 8th floor (Jl. Letjen S. Parman No. 1 Jakarta 11440) on Monday, 5 May 2014 at 15:00, and will be followed by a discussion about the Euromaidan prodemocracy protests and their consequences.

Lang.: English, Ukrainian, Russian, with English subtitles.

The discussion will take place in English.