aaus-list @ ukrainianstudies.org -- [aaus-list] New Ukrainian courses, new Ukrainian films

[Diana Howansky <dhh2@columbia.edu>]

TODAY:

With registration for Spring 2006 classes right around the corner, the 
Ukrainian Studies Program invites you to:

“WHY TAKE UKRAINIAN STUDIES?”

Come to this lunchtime discussion with professionals in various fields – 
media, NGOs, the arts – who will speak about their work with Ukraine, 
and how studying Ukrainian issues is relevant in the real work world.

•    Adrian Karatnycky, Freedom House
•    Alexa Chopivsky, NBC
•    Liubov Grechen, United Nations Association of New York
•    Virlana Tkacz, Yara Arts Group

Prof. Yuri Shevchuk, Lecturer of Ukrainian Language and Culture, will 
also speak about Ukrainian classes offered at Columbia. Information 
about next semester's Ukrainian language, history and contemporary 
culture classes will be provided.

Pizza will be served. Columbia students and members of the public alike 
are welcome to come listen and schmooze.

WHEN: Wednesday, November 16, 12pm-1:30pm
WHERE: Room 1219, International Affairs Building, Columbia University, 
420 W. 118th St., New York

*********************************************************************

TOMORROW:

The Ukrainian Film Club of Columbia University will be screening the 
brand-new Ukrainian, short feature film “At the Crossroads” (2005, 
directed by Oleksa Om) at its next event:

“TALENT DEFYING ADVERSITY: NEW FILMS FROM UKRAINE”

Over the last year, despite the lack of financial support for 
film-making from the Ukrainian government and private investors, Ukraine 
has not only continued to make films, but has won major international 
cinema awards.

For its November event, the Ukrainian Film Club of Columbia University, 
will present the works of interesting, talented and promising Ukrainian 
artists who persevered in the face of adversity. These works are unlike 
anything you have seen before . . . Come and see for yourself.

The program will premier for the first time in the U.S. the film “At the 
Crossroads,” a real-life story of five million Ukrainian “guestworkers” 
scattered around the West in search of economic opportunities for 
themselves and their families.

In Prague, Sashko, a young musician from Lviv works at a construction 
site. His beloved Nelia washes dishes in a posh restaurant. Sashko 
decides to return to Ukraine and start a new life there with Nelia. 
Nelia, it turns out, is not so sure . . .

“At the Crossroads” also features original songs by the Ukrainian rock 
group Okean Elzy, including “For You”, and “I'm Going Home”.

The next Ukrainian Film Club event will also premier the Ukrainian short 
feature films:
--  “When I’m Afraid” (director Liusia Pavlenko, 2004, 11 min.)
--  “Hunka” (dir. Olena Tereshkova, 2004, 10 min.)
--  “Oligarch” (dir. Oleksiy Rosych, 2004, 25 min.); and
--  “My Gogol” (dir. Vera Yakovenko, 2003, 20 min.)

WHEN: November 17, 2005, Thursday, at 7:30 PM

WHERE: Room 717, Hamilton Hall, Columbia University, 1130 Amsterdam 
Ave., New York

All films will be screened in their original Ukrainian or Russian 
versions with English subtitles.

In his opening remarks before the screening, Dr. Yuri Shevchuk, the 
director of the Ukrainian Film Club, will make an update on the 
Ukrainian cinema news. Discussion will follow the screening.

The event is organized jointly with the Ukrainian Student Society of 
Columbia University. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

For more information about the films being screened by the Columbia 
Ukrainian Film Club, please see the club's website at 
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/ufc/.

-- 
Diana Howansky
Staff Associate
Ukrainian Studies Program
Columbia University
Room 1209, MC3345
420 W. 118th Street
New York, NY  10027
(212) 854-4697
ukrainianstudies@columbia.edu
http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/ukrainianstudies/