"We knew that we were making an epochal Ukrainian film" - Oleksiy Hnatkovskiy about filming Dovbush

Known to Ukrainian audiences for his role of Ivan in Oles Sanin's Dovbush, actor Oleksiy Hnatkovskiy is the subject of a new episode of Kyivstar TV's About Cinema for You project. Oleksiy told host Volodymyr Rabchun why he agreed to play the brother of the legendary opryshky leader and how he turned down many film roles. 

Hnatkovsky was recently named the sexiest actor in Ukraine. Oleksiy commented that this popular recognition was a little untimely for him, because the day before he had presented a play about the Executed Renaissance in Kyiv, which he brought from Ivano-Frankivsk. The artist had been working on this topic for several years. 

"I believe that in my country there is a war for this. My country is fighting for this - for us to reformat our minds, for us to get the occupier out of our heads. Because Russia did not start the war with tanks or missiles. At first, the history of language, the history of culture... Dostoevsky, Bulgakov entered our heads. And in order for them to get there, ours was destroyed," the guest said.

Therefore, Oleksiy Hnatkovsky believes that it is very important to talk about and remember such milestones in history as the Executed Renaissance.

According to the artist, love rules this world. And it was love, according to Hnatkovsky, that made him come to the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre in Ivano-Frankivsk. 

"I never thought in my life that I would work in the theatre and never planned to. I graduated in political science. I danced all my life in a folk group in Frankivsk. My friend, with whom I danced in the group, worked in the theatre in the ballet, and he said: "Listen, we need boys, come help me." I came and there were beautiful girls. I said: "Let me try here" (laughs - ed.). In fact, I came to the theatre for love and somehow got used to it. The directors who worked there began to notice me," says Oleksii Hnatkovskyi. 

"The actor was impressed with Dovbush primarily because of the idea and the team that started working on the film. 

"I have never acted in other films. I am a theatre actor. It doesn't mean that I didn't want to (act in films - ed.). I never went to auditions. My soul is in the theatre: I love live love. I have never acted in a Russian-language film, I had some offers before. Why should I be there? "To get some exposure?" I know my own worth. "Shine" is not my story, so I refused. And then Sanin offers you the role. You realise that it was some kind of "Lada", but this is a "Rolls-Royce" being offered to you. Dude, it's an a priori yes. It's Sanin, it's Mikhalchuk, it's the team that's gathered there. They are great professionals. When we were making this film, we knew that we were making an epoch-making Ukrainian film," says Hnatkovsky. 

Oleksiy named Les Kurbas and Ivan Mykolaychuk as his film influences. And the role he is most proud of is that of himself - Oleksiy Hnatkovsky. He noted that he has lived all his roles, and the most important one he began to play at birth. 

The full version of the interview in "About Cinema for You" is freely available for all users on Kyivstar TV at the link.

In the previous episodes, host Volodymyr Rabchun talked to the 1+1 media Big Brave Events team headed by producer Volodymyr Zavadiuk, 1+1 media producer, author and host of the Real Story project Akim Galimov, 1+1 Ukraine host Yuriy Horbunov, and theatre and film actors Taras Tsymbalyuk and Daria Petrozhytska. Recently, the episodes are also available on 1+1 Ukraine's YouTube channel.

By the way, from 11 to 31 March, Kyivstar TV subscriptions are available at a discount. The 3-month Family package will be available with a 34% discount, and the annual package will be available with a 41% discount. The discount for the Premium HD package for 3 months will be 46%, and for the annual package - 56%. You can pay with your card right in the Kyivstar TV app. Find out more about the new releases on the platform in the Kino for TV TV channel.