Babylon Villeneuve

Vision of the project

Babylon Villeneuve was an international project for screening Ukrainian documentaries in French, with its first season successfully launched in late 2022 with the support of the Prague Civil Society Centre and concluding in October 2023. The project continued into its second season in 2024.

Ukrainian cinema, particularly that produced by Babylon'13, served as an excellent example of Ukrainian culture and a powerful conduit for conveying the truth about Ukraine. While typically translated into English, it was rarely available in French, limiting access for French-speaking audiences. Recognising France's key role in the European arena and the importance of the French-speaking world in spreading Ukrainian culture and countering Russian propaganda, this project was created to address this gap and expand the French-speaking audience for Ukrainian cinema.

In 2024, with continued support, the project planned six special events in the center of Paris or other French-speaking cities. Each event centered on a documentary film screening, followed by engaging discussions between the audience and filmmakers. The cinema lobbies hosted exhibitions of contemporary Ukrainian illustrations, and after the screenings and discussions, audiences enjoyed Ukrainian cocktails in a relaxed atmosphere.

These "Ukrainian Days in Paris" strengthened French-Ukrainian cultural ties, enhanced cultural diplomacy, and attracted celebrities, media, artists, and public figures. This initiative not only elevated the role of Ukrainian culture in French-speaking communities but also bolstered support for Ukraine on its path toward a free European future.

Meet the Key Partner

The NGO Creative Association Babylon'13 is a group of Ukrainian filmmakers producing short and full-length Ukrainian documentary films, which included a number of well-known Ukrainian directors, producers, cameramen and sound engineers, founded after the dispersal of Euromaidan in late November 2013.

During eight years of activity, with the participation of creative teams of our Public Association, more than 500 documentaries and cycles of social videos were created. Our goal is to inform the Ukrainian and international community both about important large-scale events in Ukraine and about individual personalities important for the country.

Documentary films reveal the decisive steps of the civil society of Ukraine, the formation of a new civic consciousness among Ukrainians, based on self-organisation, solidarity and defending their rights, freedoms and interests. 
Babylon'13 has more than ten feature films that have received prestigious awards at international film festivals."

Start Date: Jan. 1, 2024
End Date: Sept. 30, 2024