Sharjah24 - AFP: Ukrainian filmmakers have shown the conflict with Russia in all its misery at this year's Berlinale film festival, from frantic attempts to rescue wounded soldiers from the trenches to toddlers playing on burnt-out tanks.
"There are no red carpets at the front line. There is red blood-soaked soil," Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Oleksiy Makeiev told visitors to an event to showcase Ukrainian cinema at the country's embassy in Berlin.
"There are no second cuts on the front line. There is only one chance to protect the country," he said.
The Berlinale is championing Ukrainian cinema this year in a bid to support filmmakers and highlight the brutal reality of the country's war with Russia on its first anniversary.
Europe's first big cinema showcase of the year, which runs until February 26, is spotlighting Ukraine with a host of screenings, merchandise and fringe events.
The festival opened on February 16 with a video address from President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is the subject of a documentary premiered at the event by two-time Oscar winner Sean Penn.
Makeiev will also join Ukrainian filmmakers for a red-carpet demonstration on February 24, exactly one year on from Russia's invasion.
And a new European support fund for Ukrainian cinema worth one million euros ($1.06 million) was launched during the festival by the culture ministers of France, Germany and Luxembourg.
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