Kiwi-Ukraine friendships behind short-film fundraiser

A New Zealand short-film festival is screening five Ukrainian films across New Zealand to raise money for people displaced by the war.

Show Me Shorts will hold four sessions across five nights, in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, and New Plymouth

Ticket sales and any donations will be sent to members of the Kyiv International Short Film Festival (KISFF) for them to distribute to the charities of their choice.

The idea for the screenings came from an existing friendship between the two festivals.

“The organisers of that festival are friends of ours that we have met several times over the last decade at different festivals around the world,” says New Zealand festival director Gina Dellabarca.

However, since the start of the war, she has been in contact with her friends at KISFF to ensure they are okay and asking what they can do to help.

The Kyiv festival team initially used their organisational skills to find accommodation for refugees.

But they then came up with the idea of a fundraiser. They already knew the filmmakers and who was ready to donate their films.

“It all came together in about two weeks,” says Dellabarca.

She told TWN the reception to the fundraisers had been positive. They have added New Plymouth to the list, in addition to Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

“We haven’t been able to spend much money on marketing, so we’re relying on word of mouth. But we have sold half the tickets for all events.”

KISFF says they will be back.

“We will change, the world around us will change, but at least one tradition will remain the same — every year we will gather at KISFF to dive into the universe of short films from all over the world.”

Show Me Shorts is an annual short film festival, first created in 2006. Its goal was to showcase New Zealand and international short films to local audiences.

The Kyiv International Film Festival debuted in 2012. It shares the same goals as Show me Shorts: showcase Ukrainian and international short films to Kyiv audiences.

Purchase tickets for the Auckland event and donate further on the festival website.

AUDIO UPDATE:

David Williams went along to the fundraiser.