Documentary as an effective tool of cultural diplomacy

Abstract

Abstract. The article presents an overview of three documentary films made in the creative cooperation of director Stanislav Lytvynov and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ihor Ostash, the films’ respective author and presenter. The documentary Bondi, or the Return of Bohdan Wesolowsky (2014) explores the life and contributions of the father of Ukrainian dance music. Through its unique footage, recollections of friends and relatives, and interviews with researchers, the film fosters cultural ties between Ukraine and Canada. Ukrainian Lebanon (2019) is hailed as a ground-breaking cultural diplomacy phenomenon, narrating a story of common cultural history spanning almost two thousand years and drawing parallels between Ukraine and Lebanon. Hryhorii Skovoroda. World, I’m Coming to You! is the first film about the Ukrainian philosopher for an Arabic-speaking audience, offering a glimpse into the philosopher’s life and work. Despite the consequences of the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine, the film presents the realities of contemporary Ukrainian art. This article introduces the role of documentary cinema in cultural diplomacy, demonstrating its practical effectiveness in shaping a positive image of Ukraine. The author displays how documentary filmmaking enhances Ukraine’s public diplomacy endeavours through collaborative efforts with Ukrainian Ambassador to Canada (2006–11) and the Republic of Lebanon (2016–22). This collective experience effectively portrays Ukraine’s rich culture, facilitates closer interactions, and conveys important messages by employing audiovisual techniques to produce high-quality artistic creations, establishing a precedent of art-diplomacy collaboration, which serves as a reference for diplomats and generates creative and scholarly value for researchers and scholars across diverse fields. Keywords: documentary film, Ukrainian cinema, cultural diplomacy, public diplomacy, Bohdan Wesolowsky, Ukrainian Lebanon, Hryhorii Skovoroda, Ihor Ostash, Stanislav Lytvynov, Embassy of Ukraine in Lebanon.