Artists use art as resistance during Ukraine war

The film screening series known as Stories That Matter features a documentary highlighting the experiences of ordinary people amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine. This war, characterized by the Russian invasion, sees civilians, including artists, taking up arms and using their craft as a form of defiance against cultural erasure. The film captures the stories of three artists, Slava Leontyev, Anya Stasenko, and Andrey Stefanov, who remain in Ukraine to document their experiences and utilize their art as a means of protest against the destruction surrounding them. The Stories That Matter series was launched by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Advanced Academic Programs graduate film and media program. This initiative aims to create a platform for dialogue on crucial emerging social issues, art, and the international political landscape. The curated program combines U.S. and international cinema and hosts post-screening discussions featuring directors, producers, and academic experts, allowing for insightful conversations about the intersection of cinema and pressing global themes. Following the screening of the documentary, a discussion is scheduled to involve co-directors Slava Leontyev and Brendan Bellomo, along with producer Paula DuPré Pesmen and experts from Johns Hopkins. The intention is to encourage robust engagement among filmmakers, scholars, government officials, and the public, fostering a deeper understanding of the narrative and cultural dimensions presented in the film. This series not only emphasizes the role of art during tumultuous times but also highlights the power of storytelling as a tool for advocacy and awareness. In addition to enriching local discourse, the Stories That Matter series reflects a broader commitment to showcasing diverse perspectives on issues that span multiple regions and cultures. Some films are also slated to be presented at Johns Hopkins campuses in Baltimore and in Bologna, Italy, broadening the outreach and impact of the series. Through partnerships with institutions like the Cineteca di Bologna, interactions between international audiences and filmmakers are sought to stimulate discussions on cinema's role in social change. The series' goal is to contextualize cinematic experiences within the realities of a changing world, making evident how the art we create and present responds to the challenges we encounter collectively.