UCF | Cinema | Kyiv to LA

Swamps, Steppes and Souvenirs : Ecological Musings on Film

Curated by Asha Bukojemsky

Artists:

ruїns collective (Teta Tsybulnyk & Elias Parvulesco)

Oleksiy Radynski

Daryna Mamaisur

Darya Tsymbalyuk

About the Program

Kyiv to LA presents Swamps, Steppes and Souvenirs, a program of short films that explores the vastness of Ukraine’s ecology and the powers- both real and imagined- that have shaped its landscape. The one-night screening will feature six short films by Ukrainian artists Daryna Mamaisur, Oleksiy Radynski, Darya Tsymbalyuk, and the ruїns collective (Teta Tsybulnyk and Elias Parvulesco).

The program is organized by Kyiv to LA curator Asha Bukojemsky and hosted by UCF. Kyiv to LA is a cross-cultural initiative that invites Ukrainian artists, researchers, and art historians to participate in a Los Angeles-based residency and public program that explores the topics of environment, borders, and shared spaces.

Films:

ruїns collective (Teta Tsybulnyk, Elias Parvulesco)

Endless Sea of Sand, 2023, 05:25’

Salty Oscillations, 2021, 5:35’

Zong, 2019, 9:17’

Oleksiy Radynski

Where Russia Ends, 2024, 25’

Daryna Mamaisur

a steppe with rabbits and pheasants running around, and where some even saw foxes. part 2, 2020 10:25’

Darya Tsymbalyuk, Birds Essay, 2025, 6:59”

About Kyiv to LA

Kyiv to LA is a cross-cultural initiative that invites Ukrainian artists, researchers and art historians to participate in a Los Angeles-based residency and public program. Recognized for their work within Western and Eastern European institutions, biennales, and film festivals, this project marks the first time these artists present their work to West Coast audiences. Working across mediums and interdisciplinary research, their practices build new narratives by deconstructing imperialist mythologies and envisioning new, sustainable futures.

To date, Kyiv to LA has invited eleven fellows to participate in a tailor-made residency with a diverse range of hosts. The project marks a unique collaboration with several Los Angeles organizations including 18th Street Arts Center; Institute of Contemporary Arts, Los Angeles (ICA LA); GRI Scholars Program; Villa Aurora Thomas Mann House (VATMH); California Institute of Technology (Caltech); The Center for European and Russian Studies, UCLA; The Fulcrum; Art at the Rendon, Human Resources; Los Angeles Filmforum; and e-flux in New York.

Kyiv to LA is made possible by a generous grant from Nora McNeely Hurley and Manitou Fund, together with individual and in-kind donations. The project is fiscally sponsored by 18th Street Arts Center, who also serves as a collaborative partner.

The film screening will be followed by a Q&A panel with several guest artists.

Info: Endless Sea of Sand (2023, 5:25 min)
A meditative exploration of shifting landscapes, capturing sand and soil as witnesses to human and environmental history.

Salty Oscillations (2021, 5:35 min)
Experimental visuals of water and salt terrains reveal the rhythms and textures of Ukraine’s natural environment.

Zong (2019, 9:17 min)
A poetic investigation of memory and displacement, blending archival footage with abstract imagery to reflect on history and loss.

Info: A powerful examination of territorial, political, and cultural boundaries, interrogating Russian imperial influence and its impact on Ukrainian landscapes (25 min).

Info: A steppe with rabbits and pheasants running around, and where some even saw foxes (part 2) is a lyrical portrayal of the Ukrainian steppe, highlighting its wildlife and rhythms of life amid human and environmental change (10:25 min).

Info: A visual reflection on avian life and movement, connecting human presence, ecological observation, and memory in Ukrainian terrains (6:59 min).

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