La Palisiada + Talk

In Ukraine, 1996, just 5 months before the moratorium on the death penalty, two old friends—a police detective and a forensic psychiatrist—investigate the murder of their colleague. La Palisiada was nominated for the European Discovery Prize by the European Film Academy.

This screening is presented as part of the KCW x De Balie collaboration, taking place from May 17^th to May 21^st. Under the banner of “Double Exposure: Ukraine in the 90s“, we will showcase films that were either shot in 90s Ukraine or depict this period of national awakening. Each screening will be followed by a conversation between one of the KCW curators and a Dutch film critic, while the closing event features a live music performance. See the full program and get your tickets for other events here.

Info about speakers

Daria Badior is a Ukrainian film critic, editor, and co-curator of Kyiv Critics’ Week. Her work was published by Ukrainian and international publishers: The Independent, Der Tagesspiegel, Suspilne Kultura, Dwutygodnyk, Osteuropa, Kino Raksti, and others. She is a co-founder of the Union of Ukrainian Film Critics.

Alexander Zwart is a Dutch film programmer and film journalist. Born and raised in The Netherlands to a Dutch father and a Greek mother he has always been intrigued by multicultural angles and diversity in cinema as well as in life. He is a member of Fipresci, writes for Filmkrant and is one of the five members of the Selection Committee of NFF (Dutch Film Festival).

Daria Badior’s introduction of the film

“This turned-inside-out cop thriller centres on the murder investigation of a high-ranking police officer in mid-90s Ukraine. Through a nonlinear plot and constant repetitions, Sotnichenko explores the deceitful nature of footage, cameras, and, more importantly, the people behind and in front of those cameras. It is one of several films reflecting on the “wild 1990s” released in recent years in Ukraine, and provides a daring experiment with the medium of film. In my opinion, this is one of the most  boldly and beautifully written, directed, acted, and crafted, Ukrainian films for the last ten years.
On one hand, “La Palisiada” tells a universal story within the meticulously recreated environment of Ukraine in the 90s. On the other hand, it illustrates the cyclicity of injustices that exist in societies all over the world, exploring the question of what is fake and what is “real.” Today, when it appears that the line separating them has never been finer, films like this are crucial.“

KCW x De Balie collaboration was made possible with the financial contributions of Steunfonds Oekraïense makers – Dutch Foundation for Literature and Embassy of Ukraine in the Kingdom of The Netherlands.