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14 OUR LIFE • January-February 2026 Cinema of Resilience: The First Ukrainian Film Festival in Los Angeles ДІЯЛЬНІСТЬ ВІДДІЛІВ І ЧЛЕНКИНЬ • BRANCH & MEMBER NEWS Last year marked the 100th anni - versary of the UNWLA, and Branch 111 commemorated this milestone by hosting the First Ukrainian Film Festival in Los Angeles from No - vember 21 to 23. The idea had been circulating for some time, waiting for the right moment to take shape. About a year earlier, during a branch meet - ing, members discussed and se - lected a future project that would reflect the organization’s core mis - sion — advocacy, culture, education, and care — while also unit - ing the Ukrainian community. Luba Keske, former Vice President at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and the member with the most experience in film production, proposed organizing a Ukrainian film festival in Los Angeles. The proposal was met with immedi - ate enthusiasm, and a film committee was formed that same day. Its members included Luba Keske; Nataliya Rylchyk, president of Branch 111; and Valentyna Levytsky, a localization manager work - ing in the film industry. The initiative quickly gained support from the Ukrainian Art Center (UAC), led by its president and Branch 111 member Daria Chaikovsky — widely known for organizing the annual Pysanka Fes - tival — as well as from the Ukrainian Culture Center (UCC), home to some of the most prominent Ukrainian cultural events in Los Ange - les, under the presidency of Taras Semchyshyn. The festival became a collaborative effort among the three nonprofit organizations — UNWLA, UAC, and UCC — and was made possible thanks to the dedication of numerous volunteers and sponsors. This inaugural festival focused exclusively on documentary films. As Ukrainians continue to live through unprecedented challenges, history is unfolding in real time. Documentary cinema has emerged as one of the most powerful ways — and perhaps the most imme - diate way — to convey Ukrainian culture and truth to the world, offering an unfiltered view of life during wartime. The festival’s mission was to bring audiences closer to the sto - ries of ordinary people who, against their will, found themselves in extraordinary circumstances — forced to fight for their lives and for their country’s independence. Through courage, resilience, and creativity, these individuals embodied Ukraine’s unbreakable spirit. The program featured twelve internationally recognized Valentyna Levytsky , Branch 111, Los Angeles Branch 111 members (l-r) Valentyna Levytsky, Nina Piasetskyj, Nataliya Rylchyk. Photo: Oleg Kharchenko Q&A with Mariia Mykhno, Anastasiiа Bazdyrieva, Luba Keske, Zorianna Kit. Photo: Oleg Kharchenko A festival screening at the Ukrainian Culture Center.
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