On Friday, 30 January 2026, the Cinema House hosted a pre-premiere screening of the feature film Vichnyk: Confession on the Pass of the Spirit, a cinematic adaptation of the eponymous bestseller by Myroslav Dochynets, laureate of the Shevchenko National Prize, writer, philosopher, and journalist. The novel draws on the unique diaries of the Carpathian molfar Andrii Voron.

The State Enterprise ‘Directorate-General for Rendering Services to Diplomatic Missions’ organised the event with the support of the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine.

Representatives of the foreign diplomatic corps attended the event, including Heads of Mission of Algeria, Austria, Canada, Iraq, the Kyrgyz Republic, Libya, Palestine, and Serbia; Honorary Consuls of Iceland and Montenegro (in Kharkiv); staff members of the embassies of Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Hungary, Iraq, the Kyrgyz Republic, Lithuania, Moldova, Pakistan, Palestine, and Sweden in Ukraine; representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine; members of the film’s creative team; partners of the GDIP; and admirers of Ukrainian cinema.

Vichnyk: Confession on the Pass of the Spirit tells the story of Andrii Voron, a 104-year-old Carpathian sage who lived through events that reshaped nations and intertwined peoples. The film addresses themes of profound significance for Ukrainian society: choices that challenge moral principles, solitude as the price of conviction, and the resilience of the human spirit in the struggle for freedom. Vichnyk is a deeply symbolic work produced by Constant Production. It is the first Ukrainian film recorded in the immersive Dolby Atmos format, with its principal soundtrack featuring Melody by Myroslav Skoryk, performed by the National Presidential Orchestra.

The film evening opened with welcoming remarks from Pavlo Kryvonos, GDIP Director-General, Serhii Bordeniuk, Head of the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine, and Andrii Sheliuh, producer of Vichnyk: Confession on the Pass of the Spirit.

Pavlo Kryvonos welcomed the guests, thanked everyone who supports such important artistic events, and, on behalf of GDIP, presented Serhii Bordeniuk with a commemorative gift:

‘On behalf of our community, I would like to present Mr Bordeniuk with the official flag of our enterprise as a symbol of our cooperation’.

In turn, Serhii Bordeniuk expressed his gratitude to the GDIP Director-General for many years of partnership and consistent support for the development of national cinema, presenting a certificate of appreciation. He added that today’s artistic event stands as ‘a testament to the resilience, resistance, and unbreakable spirit of our people and of the countries that support Ukraine’s democratic progress’.

In his welcoming address, Andrii Sheliuh, one of the film’s producers, spoke in detail about the historical background of the adaptation, its conceptual message, the director’s work on the film, the technical uniqueness of its sound, and the premieres in Ukraine and abroad:

‘It is a great honour for us to offer you the opportunity to view our work, a project on which we collaborated for more than twelve years. This film unfolds against the backdrop of real events documented in the book by our outstanding writer, Ukrainian philosopher, journalist, and thinker Myroslav Dochynets. At its centre stands the historical figure Andrii Voron, who endured extraordinary trials, preserved his dignity, face, and honour, and remained fully human. This is precisely the message that director Ivan Nikolaichuk wished to convey to the audience. The film reflects a distinct directorial vision that differs from the novel in certain narrative aspects, yet it fully captures the spirit of the author’s work. The director devoted exceptional attention to symbols, visual metaphors, and hidden meanings.

It is also important to note that this is the first Ukrainian film recorded in the immersive Dolby Atmos format. The soundtrack features the National Presidential Symphony Orchestra, the Hryhorii Veriovka National Honoured Academic Folk Choir, and the Pikkardiiska Tertsia vocal ensemble. We take pride that the principal soundtrack — and the very soul of the film — is Melody by Myroslav Skoryk. The world premiere of Vichnyk took place in October at the Warsaw International Film Festival, and the film is now in distribution in Ukraine and internationally. One can speak about this film at great length — but it must be seen’.

The screening was presented with English subtitles. Following the film, the audience had the unique opportunity to meet the creative team behind Vichnyk, including the lead actors: Pavlo Tekuchev, actor of the Lesia Ukrainka Theatre (portraying young Andrii), Anastasiia Ivaniuk, film actress and member of the Kyiv Academic Theatre of Drama and Comedy on the Left Bank (portraying Terka, the protagonist’s beloved), as well as costume designer Natalia Stiepanieieva and director of photography Serhii Revutskyi.

Pavlo Tekuchev said:

‘First of all, I want to sincerely thank you for coming today to share this moment with us and to watch the adaptation. It means a great deal, because for everyone involved in creating the film, this was a labour of life. The production took a very long time. Work on the screenplay lasted nine years. According to the director, it was challenging to condense the entire story into a single film, as the novel is extensive and profound, touching on many layers of human life. Our approach to the material also evolved alongside the changes in our country. When the full-scale invasion began, the director decided there was no time to delay. If we did not do it then, perhaps we never would have. I believe this was undoubtedly the best decision. Filming took nearly nine months […]. For all the actors, it was an immense joy and an honour to take part in this work, because these characters truly embody a part of our country’s struggle […]. I consider this a unique film that offers an opportunity to engage with eternal questions that everyone may ask themselves. It is not necessary to answer them — simply reflecting is enough. Personally, this is the story for us’.

Anastasiia Ivaniuk said:

‘For me, the role of Terka is incredibly important, because in a positive sense it has followed me since my studies at the Karpenko-Karyi University. One of our lecturers advised students to read books, and the first on his list was Vichnyk […]. The filming process was incredible. In 2022, this was my first project of such scale, and I was completely thrilled to participate. Immersing myself in the role was very easy, as the costume and makeup artists created wonderful ethnic looks for us’.

Natalia Stiepanieieva said:

‘My main task was to portray the events on screen as historically accurately as possible. We slightly adjusted some elements to create a visually appealing image that also met our production needs. But historical accuracy was my primary criterion, and beyond that, I improvised. Of course, there were discussions with the director, but we found solutions together’.

Serhii Revutskyi said,

‘After reading the script for the first time, I read the book and realised the magnitude of the task before me. Bringing the audience into this story was both challenging and easy at the same time, thanks to the team and our joint efforts, which is why we are all here today. I hope that if you have ever questioned life, this film will help you find some answers’.

As a gesture of gratitude, the film crew received commemorative gifts, including the Square Kilometres of Life calendar project and other GDIP-branded products.

During the event, guests had the opportunity to purchase the book Vichnyk: Confession on the Pass of the Spirit, signed by the bestselling author Myroslav Dochynets. After meeting the actors, attendees continued to share their impressions of the event in an informal setting.