As the world shows overwhelming solidarity with Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion of this country, the situation on the ground becomes increasingly dire. Over 1.2 million refugees have crossed  the Polish border, with hundreds of thousands more reaching Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and other European countries. While the response in Poland has been overwhelmingly positive and open to people seeking refuge from war, humanitarian help is needed from around the world. 

Kinoteka understands that every donation counts in such desperate times, and decided to answer this call by donating ALL of the festival proceeds to SOS Children’s Villages Ukraine emergency appeal. Each ticket purchased for the Polish film showcased at the Kinoteka will result in a direct donation to supporting children and their families in Ukraine.

This call has been met with immense support from our partner cinemas in London: ICA, the Prince Charles Museum, Riverside Studios, BFI Southbank and JW3.

The Price Charles Cinema director Gregory Lynn decided to match Kinoteka’s pledge and said: “We will donate all net receipts, Kinoteka’s and ours, to the charity supporting Ukrainian refugee children. Sounds like a good cause and we were already looking for a way to do something in support of Ukraine.”

SOS Children’s Villages provide urgent support to Ukraine: helping to evacuate children and families to safety, providing those still in Ukraine with food and other supplies so they can stay in lockdown and providing constant trauma support for staff, families and children whose lives have been thrown into chaos. The need for support is growing by the hour. Millions of people are expected to flee the war in the next weeks. As well as the children and families already cared for by SOS Children’s Villages prior to the invasion, large numbers are expected to need help as a direct result of the war.

Learn more about the charity here.

The Polish Cultural Institute in London is a proud organiser of the 20th Anniversary Kinoteka Polish Film Festival 2022, supported by the Polish Film Institute and IKH Productions. The Festival is opening on the 9th March and will last until 3rd April 2022. It will not only screen in some of London’s premier and most popular venues including the ICA, Prince Charles Cinema, Riverside Studios, JW3 and BFI Southbank but this year a select number of titles will play at Edinburgh Filmhouse cinema.

As always, Kinoteka brings an eclectic mix of films across all genres from drama, comedy, social issues and documentary through to classics and will showcase the very best that Polish cinema has to offer. In addition to screenings there will also be special events such as Q&As and panel discussions.

You can watch the official Festival trailer here,

Explore the full programme and book tickets online on Kinoteka website.

You can help  tireless Boyen  Help Ukrainians  too, HERE   –   Read on:

The world of Ballroom and Latin dancing is international, and tight-knit – people look out for each other. So perhaps I was not surprised to discover that Bartosz (Boyan) Bojanczyk – 3x Ballroom & Latin Vice-Champion of Poland and London-based dancing coach has temporarily hung up his dance shoes to ferry refugees out of Lviv, Ukraine into Poland.

Boyan has been posting videos (access the link:  videos ) when he can – sharing his experience in a war zone, usually whilst speeding far too fast through road blocks, or catching a few hours sleep in a refugee camp – if he is lucky, or else in his car. 

The emotion in Boyan’s voice tells a story in itself. He admits he was not prepared for the ‘conversations and pains he has witnessed’. As we watch his videos we are racing with him past impossibly long lines of cars, using his hazard warning lights to indicate he and his fellow volunteers are not queue-jumpers.

He has been driving back and forth all week, transporting a lucky few (if you can call having to leave everything and risk being shot lucky) from hell to sanctuary.

He tells of the lines of hundreds of people walking hour by hour along a major highway – normally reserved for cars, then a police control point, then a man in a horse and cart – bizarre juxtapositions of ‘normality’ with anything but.

He struggles to control his voice when he describes the piles of hand-luggage by the side of the road – the only remaining possessions of exhausted mothers, abandoned so they can use their last remaining energy just to carry their frightened, bewildered children.

He has been wearing the same clothes, socks and underwear for three days – he didn’t think he would be here this long – but how can he leave, when every trip he makes is salvation for mothers with children, and old people who simply can’t walk the 70km from Lviv to the border? He tells how each group of passengers visibly relax as they join the (5 hour) queue to cross the border into Poland.

Boyan buys desperately-needed medicines, dressings and antiseptics in Poland to take into Ukraine each time he goes back for more evacuees. But prices are high – really high – petrol in the area is now crazy expensive, and even one large Elastoplast costs £2 – because everyone is trying to buy them. Boyan is working tirelessly and he needs your help. There are many requests for your money I know, but I can vouch that money sent to Boyan via his Bartosz Boyanczyk JustGiving page will go directly towards driving refugees out of danger and providing essential medical supplies (just click  here. Or on the above link)

By Dr K Thompson, award-winning author of From Both Ends of the Stethoscope: Getting through breast cancer – by a doctor who knows

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7DM42Q http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A7DM42Q
http://faitobooks.co.uk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice.

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