Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” (2023) – film made by activists who lived for a month in the Plaça de Catalunya in Barcelona after the start of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022
Today is February 24, 2024, two years since the start of russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. And we publish a photo gallery with the participants of our film, who met two years ago – when they came to the Barcelona square with Ukrainian flags. They symbolize all activists of the Ukrainian movement in foreign countries who have been helping Ukraine and wish Ukraine victory. Слава Україні! Героям Слава! 
The participants “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona”(2023) talk about themselves:
My name is Mykola Pashyn. I was born in 1992. A native of the city of Korosten, Zhytomyr region. In Ukraine, I studied at the University of internal affairs and worked in the police for some time and then came here to Spain. I work as a sales support at Amazon. I woke up and the first message I read was from my brother: “Wake up, the war has already started”…
I am Ostap Petrushchak, born in 1990. I was born in the village of Verbiv, Ternopil region. I have been living in Spain since 2003. I grew up here and work as an engineer responsible for one laboratory. On the 24th I opened the phone, went to Twitter and then the messages started coming from my relatives who were there about what was going on and where should they go. I said on the same day that I would not go to work anymore. From the next day I went to the manifestation, and so on…
My name is Olena Romaniuk. I was born in Ukraine, in the city of Kryvyi Rih and have been living in Spain for 11 years. I’m an actress, writer and a linguist by education. And on February 24, 2022 I received a call from my mother: “Daughter, you just don’t be too scared, the war began”…
My name is Tkachenko Darya. I was born in Kherson in 1988 and lived in my hometown, studied at the Pedagogical University. When russia occupied Donetsk, Luhansk and Crimea, my grandmother started talking that Kherson can become the next one аfter this. I went to Spain. I work as a cook at the Hilton Hotel. On February 24th my sister said that the airports
were bombed in Kherson, in Kyiv and a full-scale invasion began…
My name is Lyubov Petlyovana. I am 21 years old, I am from Ternopil region. Musician. Violinist. By that time, I had already been living in Barcelona for almost three months. I moved there from another place. The beginning of the war for me was… The first minutes I was overflown with maximum anger, such maximum hatred that I had a desire to kill, a desire just to go, to take revenge, not to stand still, to do something. I remember I just started calling everyone in the first few minutes. We constantly called each other on the phone…
The participants of the film “Good evening, we are from Barcelona” were not previously familiar with each other. They banded together after the beginning of the full-scale invasion of russia into Ukraine.
Thousands of activists who lived in Barcelona at that time or were forced to leave Ukraine in 2022, stood together in Catalan squares and on other platforms (social, artistic, media), demanding military and humanitarian support for their homeland. Documentary chronicles of political and cultural actions of Ukrainian activists formed the basis of this film.
At the first meeting of the film group on August 17, 2022 (pictured), we formulated a message for ourselves that we want to convey in our film. “We are not military, we are far from our homeland, but with the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the russia into Ukraine, our former life stopped. Ukraine called us, our country needed us, and we began to act for Ukraine. Do not wait to be told what to do, but immediately start helping Ukraine. Even the smallest effort counts.” This message could be formulated even more simply: “Support Ukraine.”
What do the five main narrators of our film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” have in common besides the fact that they, along with other Ukrainian activists, lived for a month in Plaza Catalunya in Barcelona, talking about russian crimes against Ukraine? All of them participated in many demonstrations, actions and performances. But they also formed a theater group to use the stage for more eloquent artistic expression. They themselves wrote the script and staged the play about the history of Ukraine. This performance “My Name is Freedom” (“Em dic Llibertat”) was shown in Barcelona theaters. Below you can read the review that was written after the premiere.
🇺🇦 The youngest heroine of our film is 4 years old. She is from Odesa. Her name is Arina Vasylyk. Her father stayed in Ukraine to defend his homeland from the russian invaders. Her mother Natalia Vasylyk fled to Barcelona with the child. The girl took part in many demonstrations and actions, sang the Ukrainian Anthem. And then she was invited to play a role in a theatrical play about the history of Ukraine “My name is freedom”…
On March 8, 2022, 13 days after the start of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine, women activists from the Barcelona Maidan marched with Ukrainian flags at the head of the column of the main Catalan demonstration for women’s rights. They were together with event organizers from Barcelona’s leading women’s organization, Ca la Dona At the start of the following rally three Ukrainian women activists – Katia Marhitych, Olena Romaniuk, Lia Kohen – gave speeches. They spoke about Ukraine as a woman who resists the rapist state and demands support. The Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” includes fragments of the appeals.
In one of the episodes of the Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona”, activists of the Barcelona maidan talk about how they decided to go to the Catalan city of Roda de Bará to the house of the pro-russian blogger and propagandist Shariy and talk with him. It was a striking contrast. After spending a night in cold rain in Plaza Catalunya, the activists found themselves near a white villa on the first line near the sea. During the second trip to Shariy, after the Bucha massacre, activists brought “donations” to the propagandist’s house. It were things similar to those that russian looters took from Ukrainian civilians…
The sound mastering for Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” was done at the S41-studio, Music Production Studio based in Barcelona, Spain: “We help artists bring their ideas to life with the help of our experts. We also provide services such as sound post-production done for this film.” @s41studio
Support us on social networks:
facebook.com/GoodeveningwerefromBarcelona
instagram.com/goodeveningwerefrombarcelona/
youtube.com/@GoodeveningwerefromBarcelona
Our pages on the websites of cinematographers:
filmfreeway.com/projects/2948956
The poster is updated and usually the newest version is here.
Our festival achievements:
30.12.2023 
“Доброго вечора, ми з Барселони” – Best Feature Documentary на одеському фестивалі ONYKO FILMS Awards
5.12.2023 “Доброго вечора, ми з Барселони” – Honorable Mention Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival 2023 
3.12.2023 “Доброго вечора, ми з Барселони” – Best Feature Documentary на Севільському кінофестивалі Hercules Independent Film Festival 2023 
13.2.2024 Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” has been selected to be included in History – International Film Festival Austria. 
22.2.2024 Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” was shortlisted at two film festivals, at ARFF Barcelona 2024 Around International Film Awards in the “Best Documentary” category, and at WSXA Barcelona 2024 in the “Best Inspirational Film” category. https://festregards.com/
25.2.2024 Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” has been officially selected for Luleå International Film Festival 2024 monthly competition. 
28.2.2024 Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” has been chosen as a Finalist for the Barcelona Indie Awards Season 2023/24.
2.3.2024 The Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” has been selected to be included in Cinematic European Film Festival, România. 
4.3.2024 Film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” has been chosen as a Quarter-Finalist for ARFF Barcelona 2024 Around International Film Awards in the “Best Documentary” category ttps://festregards.com/
The film “Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” was made by several authors cooperating together to talk about the work of Ukrainian diaspora during the war.
The film contains emotionally difficult videos taken during the war, as well as symbolic theatrical scenes that signify and condemn violence.
“Good evening, we’re from Barcelona” – Film crew: Sofia Bereza, Oleksandr Valko, Arina and Natalia Vasylyk, Stanislav Griy, Lyubava Malysheva, Ulyana Moskal, Mykola Pashyn, Lyubov Petlovana, Ostap Petrushchak, Natalia Stirenko, Olena Romanyuk, Yana Tereshchuk, Ruslan Tikhonov, Darya Tkachenko, Igors Šics, Arthur. English subtitles: Oksana Pankova. Thank you to the thousands of Maidan participants, and also to everyone who supports Ukraine
The film uses photos and videos of Maidan participants and Dattalion.com (data from primary sources), parts of video recordings of the performance “My name is Freedom” (videography by Daniel Dela Torre, Miguel and Max Leschov), announcement of the demonstration (videography by Cristian González Montero), actions near the russian house
Special thanks: SHUMEI & LAUD, Olena Vardamatska, Olesya Vergel, Michael Garcia, Vitaly Hirnyak, Svitlana Golynska, Carlos Gonzalez, Viktor, Elmira Dzangirova, Mykola Zubkov, Evgeny Kasimov, Diana Kirtsydeli, Julia Kohan, Kateryna Kulyapina, Svitlana Kuchaeva, Ruslana Monastyrska, Mykola Oliinikov, Natalia Rodriguez, Yury Smaliy, Albert la Torre, La Gleva Theatre, Ruslan Chuvilo, Oksana Shopina
The central song of the movie is “Ptakh” by Stanislav Griy. Premiere of this song took place on Independence Day of Ukraine in Barcelona in 2023. Instagram @its.me.but.better
Чи ще не згасли вогні
В небо птахами поринь
Ніхто не знав, що в пітьмі
Бува сидить тихий звір
Поміж гілками завмер
Буває так, як тепер
Не витікай
З тіла моя душа
Сила в твоїх руках
Птицею він з неба впав
Мої слова кров’ю
В твоїх струмках
Не вибачаєм вас
І де ж мої ясні дні
Хочу додому повір
Не знаю я, як прийти
Бува сидить тихий звір
Поміж гілками завмер
Буває так як тепер
Сontact with the film team: 700esp@gmail.com