On September 23, 2014 at the TIFF Bell Lightbox Theatre over 500 people gathered to witness the world premiere of the long-awaited film - Music of Survival, The Story of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chrous.
The 60-minute documentary film was produced and directed by Emmy and Genie award winning Canadian filmmaker, and Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus alumnus, Orest Sushko.
Through Mr. Sushko’s powerful and reverent lens, the film tells the story of seventeen members of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus who survived the most horrific times in the history of the modern world – World War II. Their story of defying the odds to carry their gift of music across the ocean to freedom is revealed, often poignantly, by the two surviving members of the Chorus, Petro Kytasty and Mykola Liskiwsky.
Andrew Hladyshevsky, Q.C., President of the Shevchenko Foundation, and himself a member of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus, spoke at the premiere, referring to the tradition, resiliency, and survival of these seventeen bandurists - bandurysty. “The bandurysty show us that we can keep and hold Ukraine’s glory and uplift the spirit of her people through the bandura” (Ukraine’s national instrument).
He thanked all those who supported the film project, “all the generous donations of every one of you donors to the Shevchenko Foundation, who entrusted our Board with community money so that we could play our part in seeing that this particular film came to pass”.
Mr. Hladyshevsky paid special tribute to filmmaker Orest Sushko. “Your patience and perseverance and loyal commitment to the Music of Survival is a testament to your understanding of the importance of the story of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus, and the importance of telling it well”.
The premiere of Music of Survival was sponsored by the Ukrainian Canadian Foundation of Taras Shevchenko, which has supported the project from its inception.
