United We Stand with David van Tijn

• Date: 26 December
• label.tijd 15:30
• Location: Filmhuis The Hague

Music and politics have been linked for centuries: Beethoven and Napoleon, Shostakovich and Stalin, Hitler and degenerate art… and now there is Putin's war in Ukraine. What is the role of art now? How is the music world reacting to this? On the one hand, there are famous musicians who support Putin, such as Valery Gergiev and Boris Berezovski. And on the other hand, there are musicians who strongly condemn Putin, such as Yevgeni Kissin, Mischa Maisky and, the main subject of this film, the young Russian cellist Maya Fridman, who lives in the Netherlands.

'Impressive, emptional en emotive' ★★★★ - NRC

'Strongest when the music speaks' - De Filmkrant

Since February 24 of 2022, Maya has been working almost day and night to organize an impressive series of benefit concerts in major venues in the Netherlands featuring Ukrainian, as well as Russian, musicians. In the first month, these concerts had already raised more than 200,000 euros for aid to Ukraine. And more than that: brotherhood, connection and solidarity was felt all the way to Ukraine.

From the first benefit concert, Maya was followed closely by the camera. The preparations, rehearsals, and concerts were filmed and many of the participating musicians were interviewed. Slowly but surely it is becoming clear that the war may be targeting the culture of Ukraine, and thus also the musicians.

United We Stand is a film that will appeal to a wide international audience and make a lasting impression as an important document of this tearful time.

This film screens in English. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

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