The 54th Molodist Kyiv International Film Festival has kicked off in the Ukrainian capital. A total of 158 films from 59 countries are being screened in the festival’s international, national, and alternative competitions, as well as in its non-competitive program.
The traditional Festival of Festivals program at the Molodist International Film Festival brings together the most outstanding films of the year—winners from Cannes, Locarno, Venice, Berlinale, SUNNY BUNNY, and Sundance. The repertoire of the “Festival of Festivals” includes, in particular, the winner of the Sundance Film Festival’s international feature film competition, “The Fruit of the Prickly Pear” (director Rohan Parashuram Kanavade, India), as well as works by Sho Miyake (Japan) “Journey and Everyday Life” (grand prize at Locarno) and Vytautas Katkus (Lithuania) “The Guest” (prize for directing at Karlovy Vary).
Fans of the classics of the “Romanian New Wave” Radu Jude will be able to see two of his new films at once – “Continental ’25” (Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlinale) and “Dracula” (world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival in August this year).
In addition, Molodist will host the world premiere of If We Never Meet Again by directors Noaz Deshe, Bo Willimon, and Peter Verzilov, who is fighting against Russian aggressors on the side of Ukraine as part of the Russian Volunteer Corps.
A selection of contemporary Ukrainian films will be presented in the competitive and non-competitive sections. The international competition (feature films) will feature the world premieres of two Ukrainian films: Our House on Fire by Olesia Biletska and The Tired by Yuriy Dunay. The national competition includes 17 short films. The non-competitive section “Special Events” will feature a screening of the film ‘Yasa’ by cult Ukrainian director Serhiy Masloboychikov. The program also includes a new film by Ukrainian animation director Mykyta Lyskov, “Kyiv Cake.”
The festival, which will run until November 2, will be held at the Zhovten cinema and the House of Cinema.
The history of the festival began in 1970 with a two-day screening of short films made by students of the cinematography department of the Kyiv State Institute. Soon, the festival transformed into a large review of films from all over the country, as well as from Georgia and Armenia. Since 1975, not only student works but also feature-length films have been admitted to the competition. In the 1990s, the festival became international. The Molodist Festival has the status of an international specialized event dedicated to debut films, according to the registration of the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF). The general director of the festival is Andriy Khalpakchi.
Source: https://www.molodist.com/ua
Deputies of the Kyiv City Council have approved the allocation of UAH 548 million for the uninterrupted operation and energy independence of water supply and sewage systems in the capital, as well as for increasing the energy independence of these infrastructure facilities.
As reported on the website of the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) on Friday, the relevant changes have been made to the economic and social development program of Kyiv for 2024-26.
The Department of Economy and Investments of the KMDA notes that due to constant hostile shelling, the power grids on which the supply and disposal of water in residential buildings, hospitals, schools, kindergartens, and other infrastructure facilities depend are being damaged. Therefore, the funds will be allocated to prevent emergencies, restore and maintain the stable operation of urban water networks.
On Thursday, October 16, the international chain JYSK opened two renovated stores in the Compact format in Kyiv (Dream shopping center) and Concept 3.0 in Poltava (185 Yevropeiska Street), the company’s press service reported.
“We continue to invest in the development of Ukrainian retail, even despite all the challenges of today. Each reopening is a new level of comfort for shoppers and new opportunities for our colleagues. We believe that quality service, relevant JYSK products, customer care, and Scandinavian values will always remain relevant and add positivity to the daily lives of Ukrainians,” commented Yevgen Ivanitsa, Country Director of JYSK Ukraine.
It is noted that the store in the Dream shopping center was opened on June 6, 2019, and at that time it was the 50th anniversary store of the chain in Ukraine. The area of the renovated JYSK in Dream is 997 square meters, the warehouse is 225 square meters, and the social area is 37 square meters.
The store in Poltava at 185 Yevropeiska Street first opened in 2020. The retail space of the renovated store is 1,046 square meters, the warehouse is 313 square meters, and the social area is 42 square meters.
Currently, there are 110 stores and the jysk.ua online store operating in Ukraine. JYSK employs over 900 people in the country.
JYSK is part of the family-owned Lars Larsen Group, which has over 3,500 stores in 48 countries.
JYSK’s revenue in the 2024/25 financial year was EUR6.2 billion.
Ukrainian online pet retailer Pethouse will open its first physical store in Kyiv on October 4, the company’s press service reported.
It is noted that investments in the opening of the store exceeded UAH 10 million.
The store, located at 44a Anna Akhmatova Street, has an area of 72 square meters. The assortment includes about 3,000 products. The retail facility is equipped with an autonomous power supply system in case of blackouts, the company said.
By the end of 2025, Pethouse plans to open several more stores in the capital, and in 2026, it is considering further scaling of the chain in Kyiv and other cities.
Pethouse has been operating in the pet products market since 2010 and was previously represented only by an online store. The range includes more than 13,000 products for pets from 338 brands. The company is also a co-organizer and general sponsor of the first AdoptMe Days pet adoption festival.
According to Opendatabot, the owners of Ukrzogroup LLC, which operates the Pethouse online store, are Vladimir Kryzhanovsky (78.9%) and Vladimir Tarnopolsky (21.1%). At the end of 2024, the company increased its revenue by 55% compared to 2023, to UAH 1.1 billion, and doubled its net profit to UAH 41.1 million.
On Thursday, October 2, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Oleksandr Mishchenko accepted copies of the credentials of the newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Denmark to Ukraine, Thomas Lund-Sørensen, according to the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the Foreign Ministry’s website, Mishchenko noted that the new ambassador’s extensive professional experience will be extremely valuable for the further development of bilateral relations.
He also praised Denmark’s leadership during its presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2025 and its unprecedented support for Ukraine. Denmark is the absolute world leader in terms of aid relative to GDP – 2.89%, with total military aid reaching EUR9.4 billion.
In turn, Lund-Sørensen emphasized Denmark’s commitment to further support Ukraine, strengthen its defense capabilities, assist in its path to EU accession, and promote mutual benefits from the application of the “Danish model,” which is also an investment in the security of all of Europe.
The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Ukraine organized a formal reception in Kyiv to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the PRC. The event was attended by representatives of the diplomatic corps, Ukrainian authorities, business circles, and the Chinese diaspora.
In his welcoming speech, Chinese Ambassador to Ukraine Ma Shengkun emphasized that China has gone from being a post-conflict state to the world’s second largest economy, and today strives for “high-quality development” and global cooperation. “We have built a society of universal prosperity, lifted 800 million people out of poverty, and created the world’s largest education, healthcare, and social security systems,” he said.
The diplomat noted that between 2021 and 2024, China’s GDP grew by an average of 5.5% per year, and China’s economy is expected to exceed US$19.5 trillion in 2025. Ma Shenkun also mentioned successes in the field of high technology: the development of 5G infrastructure, electric vehicles, space and quantum projects.
He stressed that China and Ukraine are strategic partners: “Our cooperation is based on the principles of mutual respect, mutual benefit and sustainable development. In 2025, we have already signed two protocols on the export of Ukrainian peas and water resources to China.”
In addition, the ambassador expressed understanding for the challenges Ukraine faces today and assured that China will continue to advocate for a ceasefire and the promotion of a peaceful settlement.
During the reception, toasts were made to strengthen Sino-Ukrainian friendship, and cultural performances and exhibitions reflecting the cultural heritage of both countries were presented.
Ma Shengkun took office as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Ukraine on November 26, 2024.
Diplomatic relations between Ukraine and China were established on January 4, 1992. The Chinese Embassy in Kyiv began operating in December 1992.
