Documentary Film "Only Lovers Will Survive: Traian Popovici and Others" Screened for CNU Students

August 21, 2024

On August 20, 2024, the Faculty of History, Political Science, and International Relations at Yuri Fedkovych Chernivtsi National University hosted a presentation of the new version of the documentary film "Only Lovers Will Survive: Traian Popovici and Others" for 2nd- and 4th-year students.

The documentary tells the remarkable story of rescuing persecuted Jews in Chernivtsi during World War II. It emphasizes why "love" is the most significant word in war and highlights rescue stories as more impactful than narratives of violence. The film’s plot is inspired by the book by Dragoș Olaru and Serhiy Vorontsov, "Confession. Biography. Testimony," which chronicles the life of Traian Popovici.

The documentary is dedicated to the actions of Chernivtsi Mayor Traian Popovici, who saved nearly 20,000 Jews from deportation to death camps in Transnistria in 1941. In 1969, Traian Popovici was honored in Israel as a "Righteous Among the Nations" with the citation: "In recognition of special gratitude for saving twenty thousand Chernivtsi Jews from deportation to death camps in Transnistria."

Since its inception, the film has evolved in detail and precision, bringing these heroic stories to life.

Students had the opportunity to engage with the documentary's creative team, represented by Serhiy Vorontsov and Serhiy Hakman.

Organizers of the meeting: Natalia Nechaieva-Yuriichuk, Serhiy Hakman, and Serhiy Shvydiuk.

Information:
The documentary was produced as part of the Charitable Foundation "Social Resources and Initiatives" project "Countering the Distortion of Holocaust History by Promoting the Development of the Cultural and Educational Project 'Local History Through the Stories of Symbolic Characters: Chernivtsi Mayor - Righteous of the World'" with financial support from the International Cooperation Agency for Development "RoAid."

• Project Manager: Serhiy Hakman
• Co-author and Screenwriter: Serhiy Vorontsov
• Co-author, Director, and Cameraman: Viacheslav Khabaylo
• Actors: Ivan Danilin, Oleksiy Hryhorchuk
• Cameramen: Vitaliy Yaskevych, Volodymyr Khalyavka
• Editing: Andriy Dubinetsky, Volodymyr Khalyavka
• Literary Editor: Olesya Andriychuk