The Wonderful Years

Special Screening

Audiodescription

Original Title: Щасливі роки

Directors: Svitlana Shymko, Galina Yarmanova

Ukraine, 2018, 9 minutes, documentary

The film is available online, for free, during the period of September 23 - October 7. It is screened in the original language with Ukrainian subtitles (SDH). English subtitles are available for this film.

“The Wonderful Years” is a short documentary film which explores the lives of queer women in Ukraine in the late Soviet Union. It is based on archive video materials from the Center for Urban History of Central East Europe in Lviv and interview excerpts from the research projects “Sexuality under Globalization” (2005-2006), “Being a Lesbian in Ukraine: Gaining Power” (2007), and “LGBT Families in Ukraine: Social Practices and Legislative Regulations” (2011-2012).

Film screening dates: 23.09.2021 — 7.10.2021

Director

Svitlana Shymko is an independent director, a graduate of the DocNomads International MA program in documentary film directing. Her short films were shown and received awards at numerous international film festivals. She is developing political, social, and feminist topics in documentary.

Selected filmography: The Wonderful Years (2018), The Fall of Lenin (2017), Lost (2016), The Doctor Leaves Last (2014)

Director

Galina Yarmanova is an independent researcher, graduate of an international MA program in Gender Studies in Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. She teaches courses on gender, sexuality and feminism in Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Her research interests include topics on reproduction and sexual rights, moral panics of sexuality, influence of nationalism and imperialism on current sexual politics in Ukraine.