“Landing” Documentary Brings Stories of Ukrainian Frontline Youth and Skateboarding Culture to Brussels

On October 27, the “Landing” cultural event took place at the Beursschouwburg arts center in Brussels, bringing together more than 100 participants from different countries to highlight the experiences of young people living in Ukraine’s frontline communities.

According to the press release, the event united European diplomats, cultural institutions, and members of the international skateboarding community for discussions on Ukraine’s recovery, youth engagement, and the role of culture during the war.

Among the participating organizations were TheSkateRoom, a platform operating at the intersection of art and skateboarding, and Make Life Skate Life, an international organization that builds skateparks and supports the development of local skateboarding communities worldwide.

The program opened with a presentation of the documentary film Landing, which has received nominations at international film festivals in Helsinki and Paris. Set in the Ukrainian city of Okhtyrka, the film explores the experiences of young people living in a frontline community through the establishment of Krytka, the region’s first indoor skatepark.

The documentary highlights how skateboarding, music, graffiti, and collective initiatives have contributed to the development of a local cultural environment despite the challenges of Russia’s ongoing war against Ukraine.

Through the experiences of Okhtyrka’s youth, the film also illustrates how grassroots cultural initiatives can serve as instruments of cultural diplomacy, connecting local communities with international audiences.

A central part of the Brussels event was a panel discussion examining the role of street culture and creative industries in encouraging youth participation in civic life and supporting the reconstruction of frontline communities.

The discussion featured Pavlo Ihnatchenko, co-founder of the Center for Street Culture Development in Okhtyrka; Anton Nazarko, co-founder of the Kharkiv-based Some People platform; and Monika Urian, a representative of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture.

The conversation was moderated by Veronika Kucherchuk of the European Endowment for Democracy (EED).

Alongside the film screening and panel discussion, attendees were presented with an exhibition of analog photographs documenting life in frontline Okhtyrka between 2023 and 2025. Children and teenagers transformed the photographs using paint, markers, and graffiti, creating visual expressions of hope and resilience amid the destruction caused by the war.

The exhibition sought to demonstrate how young Ukrainians use creative expression to reclaim public and cultural spaces affected by Russia’s invasion.

Following the formal program, participants continued discussions and networking accompanied by music, providing further opportunities for exchanges between Ukrainian grassroots initiatives and international cultural representatives.

“The event once again demonstrated that local initiatives and grassroots culture are becoming effective tools for international cooperation, helping amplify the voices of Ukrainian youth on the global stage,” the press release states.

The Brussels event comes amid broader efforts by Ukrainian cultural institutions to preserve and communicate the experiences of communities affected by Russia’s war, including through theater and literature.

In another cultural initiative, Ukraine’s Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Drama Theater has adapted Anastasiia Levkova’s novel There Is Land Beyond Perekop for the stage, exploring Crimea through personal memories, cultural identity, and the events surrounding Russia’s occupation of the peninsula in 2014.

The production premiered as part of a cultural and artistic project of the same name, implemented by the theater with support from the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.

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