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‘Taras’ Named Finalist at Banff Mountain Film Festival

 ‘Taras’ Named Finalist at Banff Mountain Film Festival

1 Nov 2024

  • ‘Taras’, a short documentary co-produced by Ukrainian Action and US ski film giant Matchstick Productions was named a finalist in the annual Banff Mountain Film Festival in Canada, the largest outdoor film festival in North America.


  • Ukrainian Action is a UK charity and US nonprofit founded in March 2022 to support the survival and recovery of Ukraine.


  • ‘Taras’ provided inspiration for the pioneering Ukrainian Action Heroes rehabilitation program teaching Ukrainian war veterans to ski and snowboard in the country’s Carpathian Mountains.


LONDON—01 November 2024—Ukrainian Action, a UK charity and US nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the survival and recovery of Ukraine, has co-produced a short film to raise awareness about mental health among Ukrainian veterans.


The film tells the story of Taras, a Ukrainian competitive snowboarder who enlisted to defend his country, suffered traumas in battle, and returned to the mountains to heal. A teaser to the documentary short can be found on Matchstick Production’s official YouTube site


‘Taras’ was selected as a finalist at the legendary Banff Mountain Film Festival in Alberta, Canada in October. The film was also selected and screened at the Crested Butte, Wasatch Mountain, and Santa Fe International Film Festivals in September and October 2024.


“There are over one million men in Ukraine like Taras, average citizens who overnight became soldiers, and then wounded veterans.” Remarked Jeffrey Hartman, Ukrainian Action co-founder and CEO, and co-producer of the film, who organized the filming in Ukraine during March 2023. “I am grateful to Banff Mountain Film Festival, Matchstick Productions, Sturgefilm and Field Work for enabling us to tell the story of Taras and so many other men and women, to raise awareness about veterans and mental health in Ukraine.” You can watch Jeffrey’s address to the Banff Mountain Film Festival here


Taras’ story provided inspiration for the pioneering Ukrainian Action Heroes (UAH) rehabilitation program, launched in February 2023, which teaches Ukrainian war veterans suffering from mental trauma such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), caused by active combat in war, to ski and snowboard in the country’s Carpathian Mountains alongside a program of psychological support and self-help tools.


The UAH program was developed to provide support to veterans and their families through a program of recreational and nature-based therapy, helping restore emotional well-being, improve physical health, and facilitate reintegration into civilian life. The primary goal is to help veterans and their families overcome stress and psychological trauma through participation in a variety of therapeutic, physical, psychological, spiritual and recreational activities, including learning to ski or snowboard, and other summer mountain activities such as hiking. The program also emphasizes reconnecting with nature in the scenic and serene Carpathian Mountains, to find inner resources for recovery.

 

During 2024, the UAH program welcomed 33 veterans and 7 families to our program. 


‘Taras’ was directed by Zeppelin Zeerip of Field Work and Ben Sturgulewski of Sturgefilm, and co-produced by Matchstick Productions, the legendary ski movie production company, founded in 1992 by Steve Winter and Murray Weiss.

“I was blown away by what Jeff was doing in Ukraine and said we should make a film about this. I am proud that we were able to make something important about mental health,” said Steve Winter.


Director Zeppelin Zeerip commented, “I am really excited to direct a film about skiing in Ukraine to raise awareness about PTSD among veterans there, and very proud that our film is screening at Banff.”

 

“Shooting in Ukraine was great, all the Ukrainians we met were supportive that we were sharing their story and highlighting their traumatic struggle. In that sense it was an easy production as everyone wanted to help us out and we all felt very good about what we were doing,” remarked Director of Photography Ben Sturgulewski.


‘Taras’ will premiere in the UK on 29th January in London. Contact Ukrainian Action here to attend.


Ukrainian Action operates transparently to ensure donors and volunteers feel connected to the endeavour. Many donors also volunteer to drive vehicles in UA’s humanitarian aid convoys from London. Supporters may follow convoy shipments and progress through the organization’s Instagram account.


How to help

To donate or volunteer, please visit www.ukrainianaction.com. To buy Ukrainian Action merchandise to support the relief effort, please the organization’s online store. All profits go to support the delivery of trucks and humanitarian materials to Ukraine and to fund veterans to receive rehabilitation. To follow Ukrainian Action on its social media accounts, please visit its Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn pages.


About Ukrainian Action

Headquartered in London, Ukrainian Action is a UK charity and U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting the survival and recovery of Ukraine. Co-founded days after Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, by CEO Jeffrey Hartman, his Ukrainian-born wife Natasha and Matthew Morgan, Ukrainian Action has raised over £4 million GBP and donated more than 300 vehicles and hundreds of pallets of physical humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine. The organization is a network of over 40 volunteer members and more than 350 volunteer drivers. In February 2024, the Ukrainian Action Heroes rehabilitation program was launched to teach veterans to ski and snowboard in the Carpathian Mountains. Ukrainian Action is a CIO registered with the United Kingdom Charity Commission with UK Registered Charity Number 1202133, and is a U.S. tax-exempt public charity under 501(c)(3): FEIN 88-1173971. All donations from individual U.S. taxpayers are tax-deductible. To learn more, please visit: www.ukrainianaction.com.


Media contact

Jeffrey Hartman

Co-founder and CEO

Ukrainian Action

media@ukrainianaction.com

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© 2024 Ukrainian Action is a US tax-exempt public charity under 501(c)(3). FEIN 88-1173971. All donations are tax-deductible for US tax purposes.
© 2024 Ukrainian Action is a CIO registered with the UK Charity Commission with Charity Number 1202133


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