PREMIERE The Saints Are Watching + Q&A with Sergej Orlov, Oleksandr Klimenko, Sofija Atlantova

The national premiere of the film “The Saints Are Watching” (dir. Sergej Orlov) will take place during the “Inconvenient Films” festival. It is a hopeful story from the front lines of the war in Ukraine – “Everyone becomes a soldier in the war for democratic values, which the aggressor is trying to destroy, and chooses their weapons – for some it is paintbrushes, medical supplies, music or faith.”

Ukrainian artist Oleksandr Klimenko and his wife Sofia Atlantova have been painting icons on ammunition boxes since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. The icons of saints transform the military rubbish smelling of brutality into faithful art. The story follows Oleksandr and volunteers from different parts of the globe as they accompany paramedics and officers, encounter regular residents in areas that have been freed, observe the conditions in Kyiv, Bucha, Gostomel, Irpin, Borodyanka, Chernihiv, and other territories in Ukraine. The images are complemented by sensitive stories of people who had to face the horrors of war in silence – the real heroes of this war.

There will be several premiere screenings of the film, accompanied by an exhibition of icons depicted in the film:
Closed premiere at Sapieha Palace on 10th of October
11th of October premiere at Kaunas Ąžuolynas Library [free entrance]
12th of October premiere at Šiauliai Art Gallery [entrance with solidarity ticket]
13th of October premiere at the Forum Cinemas Vingis in Vilnius
The exhibition is open at the Kaunas Ąžuolynas Library (Radastų str. 2) from 10th to 20th of October.

Sergej Orlov

With over a decade of experience, Sergej Orlov has established himself as a professional photographer within the realm of visual photography. In addition to his role as the head and creative director of a digital agency, film director actively engaged in overseeing graphic design, advertising photography and advertising video production. Since 2017, Mr. Orlov has been steadfastly developing video services, forging partnerships with esteemed national brands, museums, universities, and various government institutions. This collaboration entails the creation of comprehensive content for commercial, educational, and documentary purposes, ensuring effective communication across multiple platforms. “The Saints Are Watching” is the director’s debut film.

Oleksandr Klimenko

Based in Kyiv, the artist graduated from the National Academy of Arts and Architecture of Ukraine, the Institute of Art History, Folklore and Ethnology in 1998 and the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences in 2002. He has taught at the Kyiv State Institute of Applied Art and Design and the Kyiv Higher Humanitarian Institute. His art has been presented in Ukraine and abroad. The works of the project “Icons on Ammo Boxes” have already been exhibited at the Museum of Applied Arts in Vilnius in 2022 and at the IX Fort Museum in Kaunas in spring-summer of 2024.

Sofia Atlantova

Sofia Atlantova, born in 1981, is an accomplished artist and writer based in Kyiv, Ukraine. She honed her artistic skills at the Kyiv Shevchenko State Art School and furthered her studies at the National Academy of Art and Architecture. Atlantova’s diverse body of work spans monumental and easel art, book illustration, and installation art. She is the co-author of the project “Icons on Ammo Boxes”.