More Information about the

Metropolitan Andrey Sheptitsky Film

Borys Zayachivsky

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A recent article regarding the new discovery of a film in Ukraine that shows Andrey Sheptitsky was published in The New Pathway June 27, 2013 and in other Ukrainian newspapers. In fact, this film has been in circulation in the diaspora since the 1930s.

At 11 minutes, 40 seconds, the true running time of this film is actually three and one half minutes longer then the time mentioned in the previous article. This film has all Ukrainian subtitles and shows various groups of Ukrainian children, marching and participating in sports events on a field in Lviv. Metropolitan Andrey Sheptitsky is seen twice in this film. At the 4 minute mark, Metropolitan Sheptitsky is seen sitting in a car. At the 11 minute mark, Metropolitan Sheptitsky is seen in a vehicle that drives slowly by the cameraman. Metropolitan Sheptitsky makes a small hand wave gesture to the cameraman.

A copy of this film was acquired by Vasile Avramenko in the 1930s and he would show it at various events along with the Ukrainian films that he produced. Avramenko had many films in his collection which had a Ukrainian theme that he purchased over the years. When Vasile Avramenko passed away in the 1980s, a portion of his film collection was donated to the National Archives of Canada. I made an enquiry about the Sheptitsky film to the National Archives about 1990 and they told me they had a 16mm copy. After bothering them with letters and phone calls for some time, the Archives agreed to make a copy of this film on video for me for a fee.

Several years ago, I donated my collection of Ukrainian films on video to the UNF library in Toronto. There were many rare titles in this collection along with the 11 minute 40 second version of the Sheptitsky film.

The June 27, 2013 article also mentions a voice recording of Andrey Sheptitsky. This recording was in wide circulation on an LP in the diaspora in the 1960s and is not rare.

Julian Dorosh and a Ukrainian film crew made a few other films in Lviv in the late 1930s. There is one film where Metropolitan Sheptitsky and other famous Ukrainians in Lviv were documented. I have not seen this film and cannot confirm the content but I know it existed. Ukrainian film maker Bohdan Soluk had a copy of this film. I talked to Mr. Soluk on the phone about this film over 20 years ago and asked him if he could make me a copy. His memory regarding the film was sketchy. He told me that the copy of the film he had was left at CHCH TV 11 in Hamilton Ontario before he moved to Los Angeles in the mid1960s. I doubt CHCH TV preserved the film.

Locating rare or lost Ukrainian films is a challenge. I have been researching Ukrainian film for many years and any information regarding the above article can be directed to me at lyst@sympatico.ca

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PHOTO

Metropolitan Sheptitsky