Ukraine Fundraiser Film Night & cultural evening

Frome Film Club and Tull Stories/Encounters presents Frome Film Club are hosting a Ukraine cultural evening and fundraiser event for all members and any non-members.

All ticket sales from the film shorts programme will be donated to the Ukrainian Red Cross, along with the screening licence fee. We are also welcoming Hunting Raven bookshop on the evening, who will be bringing Ukrainian books for browsing, available to order from the shop for pick-up on 10 June, including Mamushka and Summer Kitchens, the first two cookbooks by London-based Ukrainian writer, chef and activist Olia Hercules.

Both are fascinating explorations into culinary identity through stories and recipes, with stunning food and travel photography. In the wake of the invasion, Olia joined forces with friend Russian cook and writer Alissa Timoshkina to launch #CookForUkraine, a global initiative to support Ukraine via Unicef UK that has raised over £1m. For every copy of Summer Kitchens or Mamushka ordered, the film club will add £5 to the charity donation from ticket sales and licence fee. Hunting Raven will also add a donation to copies of Summer Kitchens sold. We would love to encourage everyone to come early and enjoy a drink from the Merlin bar and chat to fellow members and visitors.

To showcase a little of the contents of these books, as well as Olia’s forthcoming book Home Food, there will be a few dishes to sample free of charge. ‘Olia Hercules is a storyteller-foodwriter, and a wholly original voice in the kitchen’ Nigella Lawson Tull Stories/Encounters have curated a programme to highlight, celebrate and support Ukrainian filmmakers and artists which will be screened in cinemas across the UK. From a stylised sport drama to a funky animated short about the body expectations that mostly befall cisgender women, this programme welcomes strong and unapologetic voices unafraid to make noise.

ECHO, dir. Daryna Kuzmina, 2020, 1 min WEIGHTLIFTER, dir. Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk, 2018, 30 mins THE FALL OF LENIN, dir. Svitlana Shymko, 2017, 12 mins MISHA, dir. Kateryna Pavlyuk, 2021, 2 mins SISTERS, dir. Valentina Petrova & Anna Scherbyna, 2019, 12 mins MY FAT ARSE AND I, dir. Yelyzaveta Pysmak, 2020, 10 mins UKRAINE: THREE YEARS OF TRUCE, dir.Benas Gerdziunas, 2018, 2 mins Runtime: 70 minutes