“To the Victory” and “A Simple Soldier” at TIFF: Filmmakers’ Talk & Reception at SVI
Tuesday, September 9, 2025 | 7:00 PM start
St. Volodymyr Institute, 620 Spadina Avenue, Toronto
Join us for a special evening with an exclusive talk and behind-the-scenes look at the Ukrainian film To the Victory! (directed by Valentin Vasyanovych, World Premiere at TIFF’50) and A Simple Soldier (directed by Artem Ryzhykov and Juan Camilo Cruz, North American Premiere at TIFF’50).
The program will feature a conversation and Q&A, along with a short trailer and clip from the film, followed by a reception.
Special Guests:
Volodymyr Yatsenko (Producer of To The Victory)
***NEW: Artem Ryzhykov and Juan Camilo Cruz (Directors of A Simple Soldier)
Moderator: Pylyp Illienko, Head of the Board, Ukrainian Film Academy.
SOLD OUT
The latest from multi-talented filmmaker Valentyn Vasyanovych, who also plays the lead character, is set in Ukraine’s post-war future. While the country has been liberated, it's not quite the homeland that he and many others had longed for
When cinematographer Artem Ryzhykov (The Russian Woodpecker) is reluctantly drawn into combat, his camera becomes his lifeline. Co-directed by Juan Camilo Cruz (Messi’s World Cup; In Her Hands; The Boy from Medellín), the film transcends violence to reveal an unflinching, human story of resilience, connection, and profound love.
Presented by St. Volodymyr Institute, the Ukrainian National Film Stand at TIFF, and the Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival.
Supported by the Shevchenko Foundation, the SUS Foundation, the Consulate General of Ukraine in Toronto, Second Front UA, and the Ukrainian State Film Agency.