Bereza Kartuzka Wins at LARFF
UCC Montreal -
The English language version of the documentary film Bereza Kartuzka,
produced and directed by Yurij Luhovy, won two awards at the 2010 Los Angeles
Reel Film Festival (LARFF) on October 5. It won Honorable Mention as Best
Documentary and Best Voiceover in the Documentary Short category.
Actor Lubomir Mykytiuk, received special recognition, and with Paul Almond and
Fran Ponamarenko, were the three narrators for the film.
The mission of LARFF is to
“recognize talented independent filmmakers” and “recognizes filmmakers who
demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity”. “All genres of film are accepted by LARFF and
each is judged thoroughly by accomplished award-winning directors, producers
and industry executives.” The 55 min. Bereza
Kartuzka was entered in the category of Documentary Short, among the 10
specific categories.
Notifying the filmmaker,
the director of the Festival, Clifford Warwell said “This season was extremely
competitive and we would like to thank you for submitting such a high quality
piece of work… We wish you the best with your current and future projects.”
Yurij Luhovy, member of the
Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television stated “I was really surprised at
this fantastic announcement, and am so happy that the story of Bereza Kartuzka
continues to find its rightful place in the mainstream all over the world.” Bereza
Kartuzka is about the Polish occupation of Western
Ukraine in the early 20th century, the
Pacification of 1930 and the infamous Polish concentration camp Bereza Kartuzka
1934-39.
The Montreal
premiere of the English language version of Bereza Kartuzka was screened
on September 26, co-sponsored by the Shevchenko Scientific Society (NTSh) and
the Ukrainian Canadian Congress – Montreal Branch. NTSh Montreal President
Prof. Luba Zuk introduced Yurij Luhovy, congratulating him for winning the Remi
“Platinum” Award at the Houston International Film Festival in April. She added that Bereza Kartuzka was
included at the “Kinolev” film festival in Lviv and shown at the Lviv Historical Museum
and the Museum at Lonsky Prison. The film is currently being screened
throughout Western Ukraine
marking 80 years since the start of Pacification. Bohdanna Klecor-Hawryluk, UCC
Montreal Cultural and Education Committee Chairperson thanked Yurij Luhovy for
his work.
Yurij Luhovy is currently
completing the English language version of Okradena Zemlya (Genocide
Revealed) about the 1932-33 Famine-Genocide in Soviet Ukraine. For
information or to order Bereza Kartuzka, write to MMLinc, 2330
Beaconsfield Ave, Montreal, Quebec, H4A
2G8, email mmlinc@hotmial.com or visit www.yluhovy.com
PHOTO
L. to R.: Descendents of prisioners held at Bereza Kartuzka
Iryna Davydovych and Lesia Kachor-Hawryliuk; Prof. Luba Zuk, Yurij Luhovy and
Bohdanna Klecor-Hawryluk