We launched Civil Pitch a few years ago to strengthen the connections between civil sector activists and documentary filmmakers who strive to achieve change in society. By combining their experiences, knowledge and efforts, the authors of documentary films and civil activists have been creating films on urgent social subjects for two editions of the Civil Pitch Project. These films travel all over the world.

Since the beginning of Russia’s war against Ukraine in 2014, practically every Ukrainian documentary filmmaker has joined the process of cultural diplomacy in one way or another. In the past nine years, many powerful films about the war have been made which were successful at international festivals. But has that helped us secure the broad support of other countries?

The Civil Pitch project was organised for the first time in 2019 under the slogan ‘films that change’. In 2022, when the new stage of the war began, the slogan was changed to ‘films that bring victory closer’. Is it really possible? and if so, how exactly? Do documentary films work as a tool for change — in public opinions, policies, narratives — within our society and in the wider world? 

On 7 June at 2:00 p.m. everyone will have the opportunity to join the event How do films bring victory closer? The experience of Civil Pitch and participate in a discussion together with the authors of Civil Pitch films from both editions of the project.

Participants:

Halyna Lavrynets, director of the Civil Pitch 2.0 film Guests from Kharkiv (2023).

Lesia Diak, director of the Civil Pitch 2.0 film Under the Wing of the Night (2023).

Pavlo Dorohoi, director of the Civil Pitch 2.0 film 89 Days (2023).

Anastasia Tykha, director of the Civil Pitch 2.0 film Our Robo Family (2023).

Moderator: 

Oleksandra Kravchenko, Civil Pitch 2.0 project coordinator, producer.

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These films were created within the Civil Pitch 2.0 project, implemented by NGO Docudays as a part of the USAID/ENGAGE activity, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by Pact in Ukraine. The contents of these films are the sole responsibility of Pact and its implementing partners and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government.

The films have received financial support from Goethe-Institut.