“Mr Jones” film screening
10 February 2020
On 4 February the EBRD Cultural Programme, the British Ukrainian Society and the Embassy of Ukraine to the UK organised a screening of “Mr Jones”, the new British film written by Andrea Chalupa based on the life and times of the Welsh journalist Gareth Jones, who exposed the man-made famine in Stalin’s Soviet Ukraine.
Gareth Jones risked his life and reputation to bring the truth about Soviet collectivisation and the ensuing famine in 1930s Ukraine to the world’s attention – this in contrast to the fawning reports and “fake news” emanating from other media sources at the time.
The film stars James Norton and Vanessa Kirby and is directed by Agnieszka Holland. It was shown at the 2019 Berlin Film Festival and earned a very positive review from The Guardian.
The screening was opened by HE Mrs Galibarenko, the Ambassador of Ukraine and Lord Risby, Chairman of the British Ukrainian Society, and was followed by a discussion and Q&A session with the EBRD’s Larry Sherwin and Ms Chalupa, who flew to London in order to talk about the film and how the echo of what happened in Ukraine during 1932-33 reverberates in current events today.
Funds were collected for the Mykola Pekh Scholarship Fund in support of gifted, disabled students at one of Ukraine’s finest universities – part of the EBRD Community Initiative which supports staff members’ philanthropic activities in the countries in which the Bank invests.
The evening ended with a drinks reception for all 400+ guests. “Mr Jones” is set for its general UK release later in the month.
Event partners:
