The Coolidge Corner Theater will host Stand with Ukraine Through Film, an afternoon at the theater that will include one of the first American theatrical screenings of The Guide, a 2014 Ukrainian film set against the backdrop of Soviet efforts to exterminate Ukrainians in the 1930s. Cinema Salem in Salem, MA recently screened the film last month.

The event will include presentations with Senator Cynthia Creem, Massachusetts Senate Majority Leader, and Massachusetts State Representative Tommy Vitolo, as well as music from a Ukrainian piano trio with Liubomyr Senyshyn on violin , Margaret Boswell Senyshyn on piano and Sebastain Baverstam on cello; the trio will perform selections from current Ukrainian composers. Following the screening of The Guide, Columbia University Ukrainian film expert Dr. Yuri Shevchuk will lead a brief conversation with the audience. Oles Sanin, the film’s much-loved Ukrainian director, provided a five-minute video to introduce the film.

This event is a fundraiser to support relief efforts in Ukraine. Tickets are set at a variable price starting at $25 and all box office proceeds from the fundraiser will go directly to humanitarian aid for the people of Ukraine. Funds from Stand with Ukraine Through Film will be sent to Human & Civil Rights Organizations of America, Inc., which will distribute the money to organizations helping in Ukraine and neighboring countries. Buy tickets or donate now at: coolidge.org/ukraine

Katherine Tallman, Executive Director and CEO, said, “Film is a powerful tool for sparking understanding, empathy and discussion. We are honored to host this event, which exemplifies the Coolidge Corner Theater Foundation’s mission to entertain, inform and engage – creating vital community through film culture. We hope it will inspire generous and supportive support for the Ukrainian people.

Stand with Ukraine Through Film is scheduled for Sunday, April 24, 2022. The program begins at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Coolidge Corner Theater is working with others in the film industry to make The Guide available nationwide.

Among those supporting the effort are the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute, the Ukrainian Film Club at Columbia University, and the Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition.

Sanin is one of the leading Ukrainian directors of the post-Soviet generation, who often worked in tandem with his childhood friend Serhii Mykhalchuk, the internationally renowned Ukrainian cinematographer. Their collaboration has produced visually arresting and deeply poetic works. Sanin’s guide was Ukraine’s Oscar bid in 2014. Sanin is currently in Kyiv.

The non-profit Coolidge Corner Theater is a leading American independent cinema renowned for its feature film programming and innovative educational, cultural and entertainment programs. A beloved movie theatre, the Coolidge welcomes over 225,000 patrons a year and has been delighting audiences with the best in cinematic entertainment since 1933.

As well as showcasing the best of contemporary independent cinema, the Coolidge has developed a wide range of programming to reach all sectors of the community, including: Big Screen Classics, After Midnite, Senior Matinees, Talk Cinema, Science on Screen, Cinema Jukebox, PANORAMA, The Sounds of Silents, Kids’ Shows, Rewind!, Box Office Babies and Adult Film Classes. The Coolidge hosts several top film festivals and has hosted film luminaries such as Meryl StreepWerner Herzog, Jane Fonda, Liv Ullman, Ethan Hawke, Viggo Mortensen, and more. For more information, visit coolidge.org.