Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentLithuanian film director and academic Mantas Kvedaravicius, who captured the escalating conflict in Ukraine in several powerful works, has been reported dead in Mariupol, the Ukrainian city that was the subject of his doc “Mariupolis” that premiered in Berlin.“While (he was) trying to leave Mariupol, Russian occupiers killed Lithuanian director Mantas Kvedaravicius,” the Ukrainian Defence Ministry tweeted on Saturday. Kvedaravicius was 45. A Lithuanian news agency called 15min reported that Kvedaravicius was rushed to a hospital but could not be saved.News that Kvedaravicius has been killed by the Russian military — which could not be verified with family members — has prompted an outpour of statements and social media posts mourning the director’s death.
Ukrainian, Russian refugee dancers find help in Berlin
23.03.2022 - 18:29 / abcnews.go.com
Ukraine — and Russia — due to the war have found a new temporary home in Berlin's top ballet company, which helps with practice space, housing, and even shoes.About 200 dancers in all, including many who are considering fleeing to Germany, have turned for assistance to the capital's famous State Ballet.Christiane Theobald, the company's acting artistic director, said Wednesday that it is crucial for those refugees to keep up their regular practice, even if they don't have any public performances right now.“The important thing is that the daily training can be completed, because training is like brushing your teeth," she told The Associated Press. “And the tragedy is that if you have phases where you can’t do that at all, then you can never make up for it.”At the same time, Theobald said she's been contacting other company directors across Europe to see if she can help find the uprooted dancers new jobs.“What we need now, of course, are positions in ensembles, and those who are coming ...
are mainly classically, highly classically trained dancers," Theobald said.While there are about 70 dance ensembles in Germany, not all of them are so exclusively focused on classical dance like most of the companies in eastern Europe, but often practice modern dance too. So it will take adaptation by the new dancers to study and get used to the different, western European styles.On Wednesday morning, more than 30 dancers were practicing their moves at a workout room in Berlin — among them eight refugees, including two Brazilian dancers who had fled from Russia recently.Many arrive in Berlin without anything and are now getting lots of practical help from the Berlin ensemble — anything from dance shoes to housing.“You have to imagine,
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‘Novorossiya’ Offers Rare Perspective From the Russian Side of War in Eastern Ukraine
Lise Pedersen “Novorossiya” by Enrico Parenti and Luca Gennari, which had its world premiere this week at CPH:DOX, is a rare film that shows the ongoing conflict in Ukraine’s Eastern Donbas region from the Russian perspective.Gennari, an experienced cinematographer, was shocked at the way the war in the Luhansk and Donetsk region, where pro-Russian separatists have proclaimed the state of Novorossiya (literally “New Russia”), no longer received any media attention once the Maidan revolution was over.In 2017, he decided to head to the Donbas region with his camera to see what life was like there.The film follows the parallel stories of a handful of characters, ranging from a communist U.S. fighter from Texas to a young Ukrainian soldier, a captain in the separatist army who dreams of rebuilding the Soviet Union, an opera singer from the Donetsk opera house, two young men from a heavy metal band and two elderly women who live in a bunker.
Russian soprano Anna Netrebko to resume performing in May
BERLIN -- Russian soprano Anna Netrebko said Wednesday that she plans to resume performing in late May after announcing in the early days of the war in Ukraine that she was taking a “step back” from the stage.In a statement, Netrebko also repeated her opposition to the war and said she was not "allied with any leader of Russia.”The 50-year-old opera singer said at the beginning of March that she was “opposed to this senseless war of aggression” and calling on Russia to end it. “This is not a time for me to make music and perform,” Netrebko said back then.That followed an Instagram post in which she had condemned the war but also said that “forcing artists, or any public figure to voice their political opinions in public and to denounce their homeland is not right.
‘Navalny’ Documentary About Russian Opposition Leader Gets Last-Minute Theatrical Release by Warner Bros.
Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter“Navalny,” a fly-on-the-wall documentary about Russian dissident and one-time presidential candidate Alexei Navalny, was intended to debut directly on HBO Max. But since the harrowing story has renewed timeliness amid Russia’s recent unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, Warner Bros.
Berlin-based Dominican artist Jesus Cruz Artiles paints a mural depicting Will Smith’s Oscars slap
Jesus Cruz Artiles, better known as EME Freethinker, used his talent to create an incredible mural on the street in Berlin, Germany depicting Will Smith assaulting Chriss Rock. The artist painted the infamous slap as an expectation vs.
'Why I'm taking Ukrainian refugees into my home - and what needs to change about the system'
It is an anxious waiting game for Marijke Hoek, who is hoping to welcome Ukrainian refugees into her home in Burnage. The 60-year old signed up to the UK’s Homes for Ukraine scheme to actively help with the war in Europe, but the ‘complex’ process is ‘taking too long.’
Sir Rod Stewart helps rescue 16 Ukrainian refugees after sending nephews to the border to pick up fleeing families
Sir Rod Stewart has rescued 16 Ukrainian refugees after he was left heartbroken by their plight amid the Russian onslaught.
Michael Bay Arrived In An Actual Ambulance To The 'Ambulance' Premiere in Berlin!
Michael Bay makes a grand entrance at the Ambulance premiere in an actual ambulance!
Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II & Eiza Gonzalez Attend 'Ambulance' Photo Call in Berlin
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Jared Leto Steps Out for the 'Morbius' Photo Call in Berlin
Jared Leto is celebrating the release of his new movie!
David Beckham hands control of Instagram account to Ukrainian doctor 'risking her life' to help new mums
David Beckham handed control of his Instagram account to a Ukrainian doctor 'risking her life' to help new mums and babies.
Moment ‘invisible’ Russian hypersonic missile destroys Ukraine armed base
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Rammstein’s Till Lindemann helped stranded Ukrainian refugee find shelter in Berlin
Rammstein vocalist Till Lindemann has helped a Ukrainian refugee who was stranded after fleeing the ongoing war in her country.Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the country’s military to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24. At the time of writing, the UN reports that at least 816 civilians had died, with a further 1333 injured.The story of refugee Alisa Komm’s meeting with Lindemann was posted on Instagram by the rapper Potap, and has since been confirmed by Rammstein’s reps to Loudwire.Komm arrived at Berlin train station shortly after Russia declared war on Ukraine, but was unable to find an available hotel. She then described how Lindemann helped her to find a hotel via a volunteer at the station.The post reads (as translated via Metal Addicts): “I feel bad, I want to cry [and] approach another volunteer.