Where there is no law, but every man does what is right in his own eyes, there is the least of real liberty
Henry M. Robert

Wind as “Witness”

For the first time in history, Ukraine won an award at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, the most prestigious international festival in advertising
27 June, 2017 - 11:29
Photo courtesy of the author

The Ukraine Crisis Media Center’s project “Witness” – a memorial campaign to mark the 75th anniversary of Babyn Yar – has won the Bronze Lion in the category “Entertainment Lions for Music.” The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, held in Cannes, France, for 64 years, is the main event of the year for all those who work in the field of creative communications and advertising. Until now, the projects of Ukrainian companies have always experienced failures at the festival – only three nominations and no awards. “Witness” is a musical monument to the Jewish people’s tragedy in World War Two, written by the composer Sviatoslav Luniov to mark the 75th anniversary of Babyn Yar. The musical work is metaphorically presented as testimony of the wind, a witness to the events that occurred 75 years ago. The sounds of wind in the specially installed hollow pipes embody the voices of Babyn Yar victims’ souls, which children violinists and children’s voices sing over again and relay to the listener.

By Andrii PLAKHONIN
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