Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors – Screening on Thursday November 27 at 6:30pm

Advance tickets now available for Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

The 1965 Ukrainian masterpiece has been digitally remastered with restoration led by The Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project and Cineteca di Bologna at the L’Immagine Ritrovata laboratory.

The evening will open with an introduction by Pylyp Illienko, filmmaker and Chair of the Ukrainian Film Academy, son of Yurii Illienko, the film’s cinematographer. Following the screening, audiences are invited to a Q&A session with Pylyp Illienko to discuss the film’s enduring artistic legacy, backstage stories and its influence on Ukrainian and global cinema.

A cornerstone of Ukrainian poetic cinema, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (based on the novel by Mykhailo Kotsiubynsky) tells a tragic story of love, fate, and memory set in the Carpathian mountains. Its visionary imagery and emotional power continue to captivate audiences even six decades after its release.

This screening is part of Through Shadows and Memories, a two-part program dedicated to Sergei Parajanov and the legacy of Ukrainian poetic cinema. The second screening, A Sentimental Journey to the Parajanov Planet (2024, dir. Taras Tomenko), will take place at Mayfair Theatre on December 10.

Brought to you by Straw Bells Media in partnership with St. Volodymyr Institute and the Toronto Ukrainian Film Festival (TUFF).

*This screening is a rental, normal Mayfair prices do not apply.

*Please take note that doors open 30 minutes before showtimes. We encourage people to arrive early. We have a small box office, a small candy bar, and a single-screen cinema, meaning that when most of an audience shows up a few minutes before showtime, it causes a bottleneck. If possible, we appreciate you arriving a little bit early to pick out your seat and get your popcorn. Thanks for your help!