PODCAST | Federica Scarpa interviews Andriy Khalpakhchi, general director of the Molodist International Film Festival.

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Andriy Khalpakhchi, juror of the Official Competition at the Lecce European Film Festival, is the general director of the Molodist International Film Festival, the largest film festival in Ukraine. We met him right at the European Film Festival in Lecce after a meeting dedicated to Ukrainian cinema. We talked to him about the new edition of Molodist, which will be held in December, about the importance of film festivals in supporting the cinematography of countries affected by the war, the age-old question of the distribution of foreign films in Ukraine and some advice for discovering Ukrainian cinema and culture.

Andriy Khalpakhchi has been the head of the Kyiv International Film Festival “Molodist” for many years. He was born on 4th March 1950, has a degree in bridge engineering and a PhD in technical sciences. Since 1989 he has dedicated his work to film, including the promotion of Ukrainian cinema internationally. He has been a member of numerous juries at international film festivals in Berlin, Moscow, Lagow, Oberhausen, Sochi, Bratislava, HantyMansiysk, Ischia, Karlovy Vary, Lecce and more. He is a member of the EFA and of the Ukrainian Film Academy. He was appointed a Cavalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (France), was awarded the Golden Cross of Hungary, he’s a member of the Order of the Italian Republic and of the Order “For achievements” (Ukraine). He is also author of many articles about cinema.