As the war between Russia and Ukraine closes out its fourth month, displaced Ukrainians continue to make their way to safe-haven countries, most without any guaranteed prospects of work.
Diana Olifirova — a Kyiv-born and London-based cinematographer — saw the gap that was widening between refugees and the need for work and set about organizing a London networking event that connected recently relocated Ukrainian film and TV professionals with established London industry folk.
On Monday, before the doors even opened at the CVP & ARRI Creative Space, a dozen Ukrainian film industry professionals were already waiting outside, seemingly eager for the evening to begin.
“It’s important to connect people and not neglect introductions,” said Olifirova whose recent credits include Netflix’s “Heartstopper” and Channel 4/Peacock’s BAFTA-winning “We Are Lady Parts.” Olifirova was astutely aware of the influx of fellow Ukrainians as they reached out to her for connections and possible work.
“Through some simple conversations, people discover that somebody might need this or that professional, and it’s so important to do [your] bit. Ukrainian filmmakers are very knowledgeable and very hard working and very skilled, so they will do well in the industry here,” she said.
Olifirova expected about 30 Ukrainians to attend along with a handful of Londoners, but Creative Space’s chic basement room overflowed with more than 60 refugees and 30 potential recruiters. Attendees included the cinematographer Gary Young; head of Cheat post-production house Toby Tomkins; and production designer Kave Quinn and her husband, first assistant director Aiden Quinn.
“If there’s anything we can do to help, [we will],” said Quinn, who has sponsored and homed aspiring opera singer Oryna Veselovska since the beginning of the war.
Veselovska’s father is the special effects supervisor, mechanical SFX and rig master and product master Timur “Jim” Veselovsky. He has worked with the production company Radioaktiv Films (HBO’s “Chernobyl”) and production designer Volodymyr Radlinskiy, who is Quinn’s colleague.
“[Volodymyr] emailed to ask if anyone can do things remotely — mood boards, art department concepts, or anything like that,” said Quinn. “So, if you can’t help people here, now, physically, you can help them by [linking them up to remote work]. I would like to encourage fellow PDs and production companies to try to employ remotely some of these talented film art department crew left in Ukraine.” (Variety)
