As the world shows overwhelming solidarity with Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion of this country, the situation on the ground becomes increasingly dire. Over 1,2 million refugees crossed the Polish border, with hundreds of thousands more reaching Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia and other European countries. While the response in Poland has been overwhelmingly positive and open to people seeking refuge from war tearing up their country, there is an enormous need for humanitarian help from all around the world.
We understand that every donation counts and helps in such desperate times, therefore decided to answer this call by donating all of the festival proceeds to SOS Children's Villages Ukraine emergency appeal. Each ticket purchased for the Polish film showcased at the Kinoteka will result in a direct donation to the cause of supporting children and their families in Ukraine.
This call has been met with an immense support from our partner cinemas in London: ICA, the Prince Charles Cinema, Riverside Studios, BFI Southbank and JW3.
The Prince Charles Cinema director Gregory Lynn decided to match Kinoteka's pledge and said: "We will donate all net receipts, Kinoteka's and ours, to the charity supporting Ukrainian refugee children. Sounds like a good cause and we were already looking for a way to do something in support of Ukraine."
SOS Children's Villages provide urgent support to Ukraine: helping to evacuate children and families to safety, providing those still in Ukraine with food and other supplies so they can stay in lockdown and providing constant trauma support for staff, families and children whose lives have been thrown into chaos. The need for support is growing by the hour. Millions of people are expected to flee the war in the next weeks. As well as the children and families already cared for by SOS Children's Village prior to the invasion, large numbers are expected to need help as a direct result of the war. Learn more about the charity at the link above.
