The video has shown such impressive results in only a week after its publication on July 18 on FILM.UA Group YouTube channel and on the official Facebook page of Mavka. The Forest Song. The total number of video views on all platforms (YouTube, Facebook and unofficial web resources) has exceeded 1,250,000 and continues to grow. YouTube documented the greatest interest among viewers from Ukraine, Russia, Asian countries, and the United States.
“Fantastic work of animators, the film should be superb! I’ll surely come to the premiere with my kids!” “I really liked it. Beautiful, very beautiful. We need more films like that, even animation. Ukrainian folklore is Ukraine’s soul, we should let the whole world know how beautiful the country is, how sincere its soul and how big its heart!” These were the comments to Mavka first teaser from the users of social networks. During the first week, the number of MAVKA Facebook page subscribers has grown by six times; the teaser received 30,000 likes and over 8,000 shares.
The video was shared in social networks on their personal pages by Volodymyr Groysman (Prime Minister of Ukraine), Pylyp Illenko (Head of Ukrainian State Film Agency), Volodymyr Borodyansky (StarLightMedia general director and head of STB channel), designer Lilia Pustovit, poet Lina Kostenko, director Alan Badoyev and TNMK band frontman Oleg (Fagot) Mykhaylyuta, which confirms huge interest in the project manifested by people from a varied range of fields but with shared love for animation and Ukrainian culture. “Making animation films based on works by Ukrainian authors is a great trend! I am convinced that Mavka will be loved by children and adults alike! We are looking forward to the end of filming and official release!” This is what Volodymyr Groysman, Prime Minister of Ukraine, wrote on his page sharing impressions about the teaser.
The attention of industry press was also captured: Animation Magazine, Cartoon Brew, Animation World Network, 3DVF, The Calvert Journal and other influential publications posted the news about the animation film on their websites. “Ukraine is preparing to occupy its place on the global animation market”, wrote Cartoon Brewabout the teaser premiere. For the third time this year, news about Mavka found its place on the pages of Animation Magazine, a global leader among mass media writing on animation.
FYI: ‘Mavka. The Forest Song’ is a full-length animated feature produced by Ukraine-based Animagrad (FILM.UA Group). It is currently at the concept stage of development. The film is inspired by a play “The Forest Song” by Lesya Ukrainka, as well as by various Ukrainian legends and cultural traditions. The film’s production crew includes experts from leading ethnography institutes: the Ukrainian Studies Center at the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, the Ivan Honchar Museum, and the Ukrainian Fashion Museum. The experts are there to ensure the authenticity of the Ukrainian myths and legends, religious beliefs, rituals, and visual culture translated into the singular animated world of Mavka. And the world-renowned group DakhaBrakha has already committed to creating the film’s soundtrack.In September 2016, the animated feature ‘Mavka. The Forest Song’ won the ninth contest held by the Ukrainian State Film Agency and was awarded state financing in the amount of 30% of the film’s total budget. ‘Mavka. The Forest Song’ is scheduled for release in Ukraine in 2019.
