Over nine days, participants learned to work in the fields of cinema and journalism — they wrote scripts, filmed, edited, created their own reports and short films. Professional mentors worked alongside them, helping not only to master techniques but to learn to speak in the language of the frame about what matters most.
The culmination was the premiere of the works at the House of Cinema, where the young authors saw their films on the big screen for the first time. The hall was filled with excitement, pride and inspiration — the feeling that creativity can heal, unite and give strength to move forward.
“This year’s ‘Yellow Bus’ is dedicated to teenagers who suffered as a result of the war, who were forced to leave their homes. These are children of displaced persons, children of servicemen — all whose experience and identity have changed due to the full-scale invasion. We try to give them the opportunity to tell their own story, to express what hurts. And to be heard by others”, notes Yaroslav Pilunskyi, cinematographer, director, Shevchenko Prize laureate and founder of the “Yellow Bus” educational initiative.
The project is implemented with the support of the Pylyp Orlyk Foundation, which supports educational and cultural programmes for youth aimed at shaping civic consciousness and strengthening Ukrainian identity.
