26th March at 15:00 Minor Academy of Sciences of Ukraine with the assistance of National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” and Bionic University organizes the demonstration of the first Ukrainian biographical movie about Taras Shevchenko’s life. The film, shot in 1925, is scored live by the folklore group “HuljajHorod”. After viewing guests will be able to visit the exhibition of paintings by Great Kobzar. The event is dedicated to the presentation of the educational web portal “Taras Shevchenko” (kobzar.ua) and will be held in the conference hall of the Museum of National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” at 2 H.Skovoroda St. (second floor).
Background on the educational web portal “Taras Shevchenko” (kobzar.ua)
20 000 pages of manuscripts and 335 paintings of the great poet were digitized for the portal, 380 video and audio recordings collected, 3D-tours around museums created and many more. Approximately, a thousand people were involved in the project.
Background on the first Ukrainian biographical movie “Taras Shevchenko”
It is a unique project, created collectedly by the group “HuljajHorod” and producer Yevhen Stepanenko with the support of the “Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre”, “Taras Shevchenko National Museum”, Folklore and Ethnography Centre of the Institute of Philology of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
At the moment of its creation the movie was one of the most expensive productions: for the first time the experts on history, ethnography and literary studies were invited to the shoot preparation process.
Scenography was made by the outstanding modernist artist, academician Vasyl Krychevsky; Pr.Sergey Efremov was invited as a consultant for the project.
The movie, consisting of many short stories illustrating life of Shevchenko, a young man, a soldier and a poet, ran in Ukraine and abroad successfully and became the most successful film project in 1926. The role of Taras Shevchenko is performed by Ambrose Buchma. One of the roles is performed by the young Natalia Uzhviy.
The film is scored live by the group “Huljajhorod”, a unique team that is engaged in the research and performance of authentic Ukrainian folklore. The group treats folklore as a developed distinctive culture, that is why they do not allow any adaptations or “improvements” of the primary source called to achieve the external stage effects.
For scoring the movie “Taras Shevchenko” the authentic Ukrainian songs and psalms from the poet’s homeland were selected, many of which will be performed to the audience for the first time.