Support for the Ukrainian people is also found where it is not expected. The Series Mania festival, Lille’s international series festival, announced on Wednesday that the president of the jury would be Julia Sinkevych. Aged 38, she is a Ukrainian producershe lives in Kiev, she is the founder of the odessa film festivalof which Series Mania has been a partner in the past.
The General Manager of Series Mania, Laurence Herzbergwants to mark the festival’s commitment to Ukraine, its people, and Ukrainian culture: “culture is in engagement. The series look at the world. The Series Mania festival reflects this. Making this proposal to Julia Sinkevych is both a political gesture and a gesture of culture“.
President remotely?
It is not certain that Julia Sinkevych can come to Lille between March 18 and 25, the festival period. She is currently in Kiev, where she wanted to stay. French writer and director Marc Dugain was appointed vice-president of the jury, to assist her. If she cannot be present, she will be connected by videoconference.
“What strikes me“, emphasizes Laurence Herszberg, “and it shows the determination of the Ukrainians, is that Julia told me that she really hoped to be able to be there. She wants to imagine that, in 15 days, she will be able to be in Lille to wear the colors of her country and culture“.