As tension grows between Russia and Ukraine, families in Kiev and other parts of Ukraine continue to need assistance.
This past weekend, The Media Arts Center's Digital Gym Cinema launched their one-week screening of the film "Olga', a movie about a Ukrainian gymnast who moved to Switzerland in the quest for gold at the European Championships.
The teenage gymnast living in exile in Swiss land due to how her journalist mother is being watched by the Yanukovich regime. And on the eve of the Maidan Revolution, she is heavily targeted while her daughter Olga is preparing for the biggest competition of her life.
Knowing her mom is in danger, knowing her native country is going through a massive revolution, Olga knows the chances of her returning home to a stable setting are simply challenging.
The Media Arts Center is playing this film all the way through Thursday, July 28, for locals and visitors in San Diego to enjoy the award-winning drama film.
But it wasn't just the film taking place at the Media Arts Center in Downtown San Diego. There was also local support taking place for the Ukrainian people living in danger. Kino Lorber, the film’s distributor, says he has committed to donating 10% of ticket revenue to Direct Relief for their assistance in Ukraine.
Also, there was a selection of art, clothing, and accessories for sale at the Media Arts Center, all thanks to local artists who utilized their talent to create paintings, postcards, and other crafts themed with Ukraine colors to sell with the objective of sending financial assistance to those currently living in this war.
In fact, one of those vendors shared with ChulaVistaToday how he and his loved ones recently left Ukraine to arrive in San Diego ultimately. The refugee was present on behalf of the House of Ukraine, just two months after leaving Kiev with his wife and their two children. He and his family crossed to the United States through the San Ysidro – Tijuana International Border.
This film was not only applicable to today's situation in Ukraine, but some of their nation's athletes have experienced a similar situation here in Chula Vista.
Earlier this month, over a dozen of Ukrainian track athletes, escaped from war to compete in the recent World Championships in Oregon, and they trained and prepared for this competition here at the Elite Athlete Training Center in Chula Vista.
Oleksii Serdiuchenko, Ukraine's track lead coach, says it was a complicated situation to be on this side of the world while their country was attacked.
Serdiuchenko says he hopes to soon return to his home country to spend time with his family and friends in Ukraine.
“It’s quite a different feeling being here while we have the problem in Ukraine,” Serdiuchenko said. “But I have to confess (while) staying here, staying in comfort, staying in safety, I do want to go back as soon as possible to be with my family, to be with my friends, to be with my people in Ukraine," he added.
