Today, a traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirt, vyshyvanka, inspires and unites millions of Ukrainians all around the globe, regardless of their age, gender, or profession. Putting vyshyvanka on means claiming “I’m Ukrainian!”. Especially for Vyshyvanka Day, Ukrainian creators prepared an emotional video about what unites Ukrainians in times of the war.
In the XXI century, vyshyvanka is not just an embroidered shirt. It is one of the greatest treasures of Ukrainian culture. Every third Thursday of May, on Vyshyvanka Day, streets are full of embroidered shirts, dresses, skirts, and other elements of Ukrainian traditional clothing. The holiday demonstrates that Ukrainians are a nation, which has its own history, traditions, and culture. Ukrainian embroidered clothes are trendy, and you can find them in the wardrobes of world-known celebrities: Claudia Schiffer, Dita Von Teese, Demi Moore, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Today, when Ukrainians constantly suffer from the russian aggression that aims to exterminate the whole Ukrainian nation and its culture, vyshyvanka connects people through time and place.
“As for now, vyshyvanka is one of the symbols of Ukraine, like bravery. Vyshyvanka is considered an amulet against all the bad things that may happen in human life. It is a symbol of beauty and health, as well as happy destiny. The embroidered shirt symbolizes family memory, faithfulness, and love. This traditional clothing stitches us into one united nation and gives us an opportunity to express love, pain, and hope in different ways. After all, the entire world already knows that to be Ukrainian is to love all living things around and native land. So to wear vyshyvanka means to prove belonging to the eternal Ukrainian cultural tradition,” – commented Deputy Minister of Culture and Information Policy Larysa Petasyuk.
There is a belief that vyshyvanka is not only an element of clothing but also a kind of guardian against evil. This is why the embroidery is located on those parts, where it touches skin – on sleeves, collar, and hem. The sacred significance of an embroidered shirt gained new senses in times of the war, proving that Ukraine has an ancient, unique, and rich culture, which cannot be eliminated. People, whose everyday work brings the victory closer – soldiers, railroad workers, medics, cooks, and many others wear vyshyvankas today. The video, created by FILM.UA team together with the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, is about the love of ordinary Ukrainians for their homeland. And elements of embroidered clothes that you can see under their uniforms symbolize the unity of the Ukrainian people and our boundless love for Ukraine.
Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbkSi-0sGDg
“When I think about how every Ukrainian feels today, this image comes to me. It’s as if someone has embroidered our hearts with love and pain, with red and black threads. This embroidery is now forever with us, under our everyday clothes. Our team was happy to return to work, for most of us it was the first filming since the war began. It is such great joy – to do what we know how to do for the country we love so much, for which we are fighting now – like the heroes of our video fight every day. The team was forced to stop filming for two hours and go into a bomb shelter due to an air alert. Fortunately, we managed to film everything. We want to dedicate this video to all who continue to do their work for our happy future, with Ukraine in their hearts”, – tells Anastasiia Lodkina, creative producer of FILM.UA.
The filming took place in Lviv, particularly on the territory of Lviv State University of Life Safety, and on the central railway station. A soundtrack for the video is the song „Choven” by Okean Elzy band. According to its leader Svyatoslav Vakarchuk, the track tells about various historical events that took place in Ukraine, and exudes faith in victory. Now, vyshyvanka is a symbol of Ukrainian faith and strength, of the unconquered nation that has fought for freedom for centuries and now continues to fight for the right to a free and happy future.
Director: Valentyn Shpakov
DOP: Tim Avramchuk
Scriptwriter, editor: Anastasiia Lodkina
Costumes: Dzvinka Syvyk
Producer: Sergiy Demydov
