Ukrainian Film Wins BAFTA: Oleksandr Rudynskyi Dedicates Victory

A movie about the war in Ukraine has won a prestigious award at an international film festival. Oleksandr Rudynskyi, the actor from Mykolaiv who played the lead role, dedicated the victory to his friend who died in the war.

This was reported by the press service of the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine.

Franz Böhm 's film Rock, Paper, Scissors, which tells the story of the first days of the war in Ukraine, won the prestigious BAFTA award for Best Short Film.

The 78th British Academy of Television and Film Arts Awards, known as the BAFTAs, took place on February 16, 2025, at the Royal Festival Hall at London's Southbank Centre. The event honored the best national and foreign films of 2024.

The film is based on real events and centers on 18-year-old Ivan, whose father, a surgeon, has been operating on the wounded since the first days of the war. In order to protect his family and the wounded, Ivan takes up arms when the Russian occupiers find out about the shelter.

The main role in the film was played by Oleksandr Rudynskyi, an actor from Mykolaiv. During the award ceremony, he dedicated the award to his friend who died in the war five days before the start of filming.

"I dedicate this award to my friend, Zhenya Svitlychnyi, who died in the war five days before the start of filming. And also to everyone who defends and makes my country independent. Glory to Ukraine!" the actor said.

Yevhen Svitlychnyi is an actor, Ukrainian free-fight champion, master of sports, winner of many professional tournaments. Yevhen also starred in Oleg Sentsov 's movie "Rhino".

The movie also featured other Ukrainian actors, including Serhiy Kalantai, Yuriy Radionov, and Oleksandr Yatsenko.

In July last year, Netflix launched the American black comedy Decameron, inspired by the eponymous collection of short stories by Giovanni Boccaccio. One of the roles in the series was played by Oleksandr Rudynskyi, the only actor from Eastern Europe in this modern adaptation of the classic work.

And in December, the film Peaceful People, which mentions Mykolaiv region, was included in the list of the best films of 2024. It shows the director's journey through three regions, including Mykolaiv. The film consists of intercepted conversations between the Russian occupiers and their relatives, as well as panoramas of Ukrainian cities and villages that have been destroyed by the war.

Recently, Ivan Kozlenko, a writer and cultural critic from Odesa, former director of the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Center and director of the Silent Nights Film Festival, attended the 75th Berlin Film Festival. Intent had the opportunity to talk to him before the red carpet about films related to Odesa and why this festival could be a breakthrough for Ukrainian cinema.

Анна Бальчінос