On November 1, 2019, the pre-premiere screening of the feature film “Taras. The Return,” directed by Oleksandr Denysenko, took place at the M.K.C. Prometei in Brovary, Ukraine.
In 2012, Denysenko’s screenplay emerged as the winner of the International Screenplay Competition for the film about Shevchenko, organized and conducted by the “Velyka Rodyna” Charitable Foundation. Over time, the artist’s creative concept materialized into this modern cinematic work about the Great Bard.
The film depicts Taras Shevchenko during his exile. The plot revolves around the dramatic story of the poet’s final weeks in the Novopetrovskaya Fortress in Mangystau, Kazakhstan, just before his release from servitude.
The film screening received a lively response from the audience, who had a wonderful opportunity to ask the director questions about the plot and the history of the film’s creation. In his speech, Denysenko sincerely thanked the “Velyka Rodyna” Charitable Foundation for their invaluable assistance during the screenplay stage.
“Ukraine finally has a modern film about Shevchenko. We have been waiting for it for a long time. The creative team managed to portray an unexpected, multifaceted Taras. The thirst for freedom and the will of the main character resonate strongly with the present, with the contemporary sentiments of Ukrainians. It is crucial for the film to be released in theaters, where I am convinced it will find its audience.”
