Zhovten movie theater has been standing in the heart of the Podil district for nearly a century, greeting locals eager to watch a wide array of films since 1931.
Zhovten has faced many challenges, from a major fire to a pandemic.
But being a showcase niche cinema, nurturing a close relationship with cinephiles, and developing a cultural community has helped Zhovten overcome anything thrown its way.
Yuliia Antypova, Zhovten’s director since 2018, is proud of the theater’s 90-year history “During all of its time, Zhovten was not only a cultural center for the residents of Podil district, but for all of Kyiv,” Antypova told the Kyiv Post.
Consistent approach
Originally called “The Ninth State Cinema” by Soviet authorities, the theater opened with the premiere of the Ukrainian film “Hegemon,” now the name of its biggest screening hall.
During the 1941–43 Nazi occupation of Kyiv, the theater was briefly renamed “Gloria.”
Once Kyiv was liberated, the theater became Zhovten (Ukrainian for “October”) referencing the Bolshevik October Revolution. The theater prides itself on an uncompromising approach to the selection of films shown throughout the decades.
“The theater never changed its direction,” Antypova says.
For decades, Zhovten’s policy of showcasing arthouse cinema films in their original languages had made it one of a kind in Kyiv and Ukraine.
Zhovten’s association with the Europa Cinemas since 2007, which became official in 2021, is a particular point of pride.
“It’s the only theater in the whole country that participates,” Antypova says.
Zhovten holds master classes, lectures, and book and film presentations.
So, it was no surprise that when the theater almost burned down in a tragic case of arson in 2014, the community that Zhovten had served for decades banded together to give their support in return.
Left: Locals passing by Zhovten cinema in the historic Podil district, Kyiv, 1946. Right: Zhovten today, with its new face after its reconstruction in 2014.
Loving community
Zhovten hosts many film festivals throughout the year.
During the 2014 Molodist Film Festival, the only Ukrainian contemporary film festival that showcases LGBTQ films, a fire broke out, badly damaging the building.
The arsonist was never caught.
“A lot was ruined not only by the fire, but by the water used to extinguish the fire,” Antypova says.
But the community was not prepared to give up.
“There was a quick response,” Antypova recalls, “called ‘Save Zhovten.’ Many people came to sort through the ruins and debris, to save what was left.”
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, then recently elected, called for the restoration of the torched cinema.
Local businesses, cinema lovers, and local families joined together to gather money and call for state support for the theater’s renovation.
“With the help of people that really loved this theater, and the city authorities, the theater was restored and exists in its updated modern version that you see now,” Antypova says.
The state contributed Hr 53 million ($2 million) to the renovation, resulting in one of the best modern movie halls in Kyiv.
Zhovten was able to continue projecting itself as a true cultural center of Kyiv.
Still accessible theater
Since the renovation, the Molodist Festival has been held there annually, as well as the Docudays festival, Kyiv Critics Week and many other events.
The coronavirus pandemic slowed business, forcing film festivals to go online and cut down on screenings.
Because Zhovten’s repertoire specializes in niche European arthouse films, the cinema didn’t suffer as much as other movie theaters that mainly screen Hollywood blockbusters whose releases were postponed during the start of the pandemic.
“Those who rely on major and Hollywood studios productions that postponed their releases, didn’t have much to screen,” Albina Shnypko, PR manager of Zhovten, told the Kyiv Post.
Once it was clear that the pandemic wasn’t ending any time soon, many major studios moved to an online format.
“We had screened European and national movies, arthouse movies, and we continued to do so,” Shnypko says, “Those other theaters couldn’t because Disney and Hollywood studios moved online.”
The “yellow zone” quarantine restrictions in place in Kyiv require movie theaters to allow two-thirds of their regular capacity to be filled, or full capacity with fully vaccinated visitors.
The theater reduced the size of its audience by 30% to allow in those without covid certificates, and has vaccinated nearly all of its staff to be able to work under red zone quarantine restrictions.
Meanwhile, all guests can visit the theater for movie screenings and the upcoming 5th International Kyiv Critics Week from 21–27 October.
Stand out festivals
Although Zhovten is the oldest cinema in Kyiv, working with festivals like Kyiv Critics Week keeps it modern.
Since the “Kyiv” movie theater shut down two years ago, Zhovten is still the only large theater in the capital that offers off-beat movies and festivals.
“Zhovten movie theater is a unique place,” Dennis Ivanov, the director of Arthouse Traffic and founder of Kyiv Critics Week, told the Kyiv Post, “It’s a gem of Podil.”
Kyiv Critics Week (KCW) allows for film critics to discuss the films at the screenings with an average 12,000 viewers who come.
The dialogue taking place in each movie theater hall during the festival is important to Ivanov.
“Cinematography really is an art and not just entertainment with popcorn,” he says. And Kyiv is the cinematographic capital of Ukraine, he says.
The upcoming festival has several programs, including one arranged with Canadian film critics to choose 3 Ukrainian and 3 Canadian films.
The Ukrainian films the Canadian critics chose to premiere at KCW are Oleg Sentsov’s “Rhino,” Kateryna Gornostai’s “Stop-Zemlia,” and Myroslav Latyk’s “Kings of Rap.”
The theater also makes sure to screen the many international films it shows in their original languages.
“Not many movie theaters can brag about this opportunity,” Antypova says. “And we strive to have weekly screenings of films in their original language.”
Yuliia Antypova, director of Zhovten since 2018, stands near the wall of Ukrainian filmmakers on the second floor of the Zhovten movie theater in Kyiv, on Sept. 28, 2021. (Volodymyr Petrov)
Old but still modern
Although Zhovten is Kyiv’s oldest theater, its modern taste will continue to attract new generations of viewers.
Antypova hopes that more young people will come, fall in love with the theater, and visit often for decades to come.
Zhovten is under contract with a private limited company, and recently extended its rent contract until 2030.
But Antypova hopes for another century for the theater.
“My dream is that Zhovten theater will always be modern, always young, like it is now, not despites its 90-year-old existence,” she says.
If the community and new generations continue to visit and support the eclectic array of films, that dream is possible.
“The whole unique cinematography of the world,” Ivanov says, “modern, old, with or without national ties, finds its niche in Zhovten.”
Kyiv Critics Week. Zhovten Theater. (26 Kostiantynivska St.) Oct. 21-27. Tickets are available here for Hr. 100-140
