Documentary
Cange Starts With You
Behind Blue Eyes is a nonprofit project that helps children from frontline and recently de-occupied villages in Ukraine dream big and unlock their creative potential through modern forms of self-expression.
In the summer of 2024, we held three creativity festivals for kids in frontline villages of the Mykolaiv region, called Blyshchyk. Over the course of two days and six workshops, the children, guided by mentors, created their very first creative projects.
Blyshchyk means “spark”, the kind that inspired us to organize the first festivals and create a road movie called Blyshchyk: South. It captures our highs and lows, the behind-the-scenes of hosting events near the front line, and the broader mission of Behind Blue Eyes.
We documented the festival journey to show that change can, and should, start from the ground up. Doing something near the front line is unpredictable, but possible. We hope this film inspires young people to take action, get involved, and help children thrive.
Kids' Creative Projects
The film workshop at the Blyshchyk festivals was a hit at nearly every stop. While over thirty kids joined the intro session each time, fewer than ten actually dared to make their first short film.
Creating something that resembled a movie in just one day, sometimes even faster, felt like a wild idea. Now, it’s a bittersweet summer memory. Watch to feel it for yourself.