“I Have to Tell Your Story”: Legendary Director Samuel Bayer Visits Ukraine to Capture the Spirit of Resistance

Legendary American director Samuel Bayer, known for iconic music videos for Nirvana, Metallica, David Bowie, and other global stars, visited Ukraine on April 17 at the invitation of the Cultural Forces initiative, according to Ukrainian media citing Cultural Forces.

During his visit, Bayer traveled to frontline regions and recently liberated regions in the east. His mission was to capture not just destruction and resilience, but also the stories of those who endured occupation, lost their homes, families and to document the unbreakable human spirit that still burns through the darkness.

Before heading east, the American director visited students at Kyiv’s Karpenko-Karyi National University of Theatre, Cinema and Television. Young filmmakers sat down with him to discuss the craft of visual storytelling.

His decision to come to Ukraine started in Los Angeles, during the Tour of Gratitude by the Cultural Landing project. After meeting Mykola Serga, a Ukrainian Armed Forces captain and the head of Cultural Forces, Bayer chose to bring Ukraine’s story to the global stage.

“I have to come to Ukraine. I have to tell your story of resistance. The story of your people. I want to show your incredible musicians and share their path. I hope these stories will be seen in the States, seen around the world. I want them to think about Ukraine. I want people to remember Ukraine”, Samuel Bayer stated.

Earlier, Ukrainian illustrator Jenya Polosina received top honors at the 44th American Illustration Awards for her collage Four Scenarios for Ukraine’s Endgame, originally created for a feature in The New York Times.

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