The second year of the pandemic has been productive for Ukrainian musicians across the board. We heard many new names, especially in rap and electronic music, but established artists also stepped up with plenty of new pop, alternative and indie rock. Besides giving them more time to record, another year
Ukrainian documentary "Home Games" has joined the Netflix library on Dec. 23. Its director Alisa Kovalenko said this is the streaming giant's first documentary by a Ukrainian filmmaker. “I hope it will be a milestone and that other great Ukrainian author-driven documentaries will be soon on Netflix as well,” she
A Ukrainian label, Standard Deviation, made it onto the list of best record labels in 2021 compiled by Mixmag, a U.K. magazine and one of the world’s oldest publications that focus on electronic music. This label of Kyiv’s famous unnamed techno club located on Kyrylivska Street was
From traditional decor and cutting-edge art books to basic home wear and fragrances, Ukrainian brands have everything needed for perfect holiday shopping. To guide you through the best Ukrainian goods available online, the Kyiv Independent has compiled some of its favorite picks this season. Decor: Hey.Guide x Ukrainian Folks
U.S. pay television network HBO has acquired the Ukrainian war drama “Bad Roads,” directed by acclaimed playwright and filmmaker Natalya Vorozhbit. The film is now available in original Ukrainian and Russian languages, with English subtitles on HBO's streaming platform HBO Go, but only in Central Europe, according to the
The second Christmas and New Year’s season of the pandemic will be less restrictive in Kyiv, with a selection of winter villages and celebrations around the city. Still, all indoor events require certificates of vaccination, negative test or recovery from Covid-19. Face masks are advised even outside in crowded
Kyiv had its first heavy snowfall of the season on the evening of Dec. 20, with 13 centimeters of snow rapidly covering the capital. Traffic ground to a halt across the city while the number of road accidents surged. For example, a tram derailed on Kyrylivska Street in the Podil
Ukraine has launched its official account on Spotify, the world’s most popular music streaming platform, on Dec. 20. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has partnered with the Ukrainian Institute and Slukh, an online media outlet covering music, for this cultural diplomacy project. “It was created to promote a positive image
Ukrainians who got Hr 1,000 from the government for getting their coronavirus shots are mainly spending it on cinema, books and theaters, according to new stats from the Ministry of Culture. The government began paying its promised cash rewards on Dec. 19 through the Diia mobile app. The bounty,
Our picks for the best art, music, film and more in the capital. All venues require one of the following: certificates of vaccination, negative test or recovery from Covid-19. * From a nursery teacher to Europe’s best young artist – in the last three years, Alyona Alyona has done so much
UNESCO added Örnek, the traditional ornament of Ukraine’s Crimean Tatar minority and its lore to the List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, on Dec. 16. “This is a clear victory for Ukraine. After all, it clearly shows that the culture of Crimea is extraordinary and needs to
Kyiv's famous Petrivka book market will be torn down and replaced by another shopping mall, according to documents available on the urban planning department website of the Kyiv City State Administration. The open air book market has attained legendary status among residents of the capital. It is the largest place
Three-division boxing champion Vasyl Lomachenko defeated Ghanaian lightweight Richard Commey by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Dec. 11. Though Commey went down to Lomachenko's left hook in the seventh, the late-night World Boxing Organization intercontinental title fight ran for the full 12 rounds. It
Living next to Russia causes headaches worse than migraine, according to the meme posted on Ukraine’s official Twitter account on Dec. 7. The joke was published amid the looming threat of a large-scale Russian military action against Ukraine. The meme lists four different types of headaches caused by migraine,
Thousands of Ukrainians, especially former military service members, have posted under the hashtag #UkrainiansWillResist on social media to show that they will fight the Russian military if it invades and will not accept ultimatums of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The messages appeared in response to Russia's buildup of 100,000
"Why I'm Alive," a film about a Ukrainian-Jewish family during the Nazi occupation of Soviet Ukraine, has been recognized as the best feature film at two minor international film festivals in November – the Europe Film Festival based in London and the Future of Film Awards in North Macedonia. Both festivals
How is Soviet leader Vladimir Lenin different from Pudge, a ghoulish hero from the hit game Dota 2? When they’re illustrated in the same style, framed by the same star wreathed in flame, perhaps not different enough to avoid legal problems in Ukraine. U.S. video game company Valve,
Laidback and almost always with a drink, a cat named Stepan from Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine has gone viral in just a few months. With a million followers on Tiktok and over 800,000 on Instagram, the cat has also started receiving offers to promote local and now international brands.
Ivanna Sakhno will reportedly be playing a newly-created character in the Disney+ limited series “Star Wars: Ahsoka,” a spinoff from the hit show “The Mandalorian.” Details about Sakhno’s character have not been revealed. The series, which is gearing up for production, will follow the fan favorite character Ahsoka Tano,
kraine-based esports team Natus Vincere, or NaVi, defeated French team Vitality in the grand final of the Counter-Strike gaming tournament Blast Premier in Copenhagen on Nov. 28. They earned $225,000 in prize money. Vitality won $85,000 for coming in second. A total of eight teams competed in the
The capital’s restaurants, cafes and bars took the copper pan prizes in 11 out of 17 categories of the Salt restaurant awards, including the special jury selection prize for the Fish & Pussycat Sushi Bar and the best new restaurant prize for the Fenix Asia and Fenix Italia double venue.
Filmed by Family Production, the video was made for “Renegade,” Kavinsky’s first single in the last eight years. The song features vocals from U.S. singer Cautious Clay. Vincent Belorgey, known under his stage name Kavinsky, is a renowned DJ and producer, who rose to international success with the
Grammy-winning singer Ed Sheeran has visited Kyiv, where he presumably filmed a new music video. Late on Nov. 25, Sheeran posted a photograph on Instagram saying he had spent three nights shooting in Kyiv. The pop star did not specify whether it was a music video he was filming and
Ukrainian director Tanu Muiño’s video “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” made for and co-directed by U.S. rapper Lil Nas X, has been nominated for the 2022 Grammy Awards in the best music video category. It will compete for the prize with entries by AC/DC, Justin Bieber,
The agency chose a drawing by eight-year-old Ukrainian Yarina Zakalyuzhna to decorate its Ariane 5 heavy-lift rocket during its 2023 mission to Jupiter. Zakalyuzhna’s illustration will be printed on a giant sticker and placed on the tip of the rocket. Ariane 5 will take eight years to reach Jupiter
The “Chornobyl. Journey” website aims to educate readers about the causes of the 1986 nuclear disaster and dispel myths about it. Users can click and scroll through multimedia content including graphs, photos, videos and more, which draw on declassified documents and scientific studies. The website is available in English and
Ukrainian crime drama “Rhino,” directed by filmmaker and former political prisoner in Russia Oleg Sentsov, won the best film prize at the Stockholm International Film Festival on Nov. 18. The picture is set in Ukraine’s “wild 1990s,” the time of economic and political crisis fueled by gang wars across
The Oscar-winning U.S. actor and director Sean Penn plans to make a documentary to spotlight the Kremlin’s war against Ukraine, the country’s Joint Forces Operation said on Nov. 18. Penn will team up with Ukrainian producers for the film. The director visited a city in eastern Ukraine
Ihor Yevtushenko had to rely on crowdfunding to scrape together the $700 he needed to fly to Abu Dhabi and enter the tournament in which he triumphed over all his competitors. The 49-year-old from Kherson had previously been the champion of Ukraine and Europe in the under 69 kilogram category.
Tanu Muiño’s “Montero (Call Me By Your Name),” made for and co-directed by U.S. rapper Lil Nas X, became the best music video of 2021. It beat entries by Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, Doja Cat and Normani. The Ukrainian director won three MTV Video Music Awards
The district’s community representatives and municipal authorities held a forum on Nov. 11-12 to develop a strategy to make Zoloti Vorota (Golden Gate) a “contemporary culture district.” Among other things, this would entail more cultural events and venues for the area. Yana Barinova, the head of Kyiv City Council’
The latest on literature, films, art, and traditions from Ukraine and the region. Ukrainian culture has survived centuries of Russian attempts to appropriate Ukrainian art, silence Ukrainian artists, and erase the Ukrainian language. Modern Ukrainian writers, filmmakers, and musicians — some of whom are serving on the front lines — continue to develop Ukrainian culture and fight for Ukraine’s future.
(Updated: )
