The second annual Suspilne PRO industry event took place in Kyiv on 23 October, bringing together representatives of the audiovisual industry, media, documentary filmmaking community and international partners.
“Today, it is important to bring together Ukrainian filmmakers, media professionals and international partners to maintain the quality of the cultural content we create for Ukrainian and European audiences. I would especially like to recognise the team who managed to bring this project to life under such challenging circumstances. I hope Suspilne PRO will set a benchmark for our creative industry and that, a year from now, we will be able to achieve even more under calmer circumstances. We are very grateful to the French government, CFI and the French Embassy for the projects we are delivering together” said Andriy Taranov, a member of the Managing Board of Suspilne Ukraine responsible for marketing, research and international relations, at the opening of the event.
Andriy Taranov
The two discussions at this year’s Suspilne PRO explored who shapes the journey of content to audiences and what it takes today to create and promote high-quality projects. The event was supported by CFI, the French media development agency, and the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs as part of the “Support for Ukrainian Media” project.
“Our goal is to help Suspilne become a major player in Ukraine and Europe as a content producer,” said Brice Roquefeuil, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Ukraine. “We believe the audiovisual sector is a distinctive field in which public service media have a duty to support culture and equality and to share reliable information.”
Stéphane Siohan
“Suspilne PRO has the potential to become one of Ukraine’s leading forums for discussing the development of the audiovisual and documentary industries. Both Europe and Ukraine are undergoing significant changes. That is why I believe it is extremely important for the public broadcaster to take the lead in shaping trends and provide a forum for discussing these changes,” stressed Stéphane Siohan, producer, media expert and strategic adviser to Suspilne PRO.
The programme featured two thematic panels. The first, “Who decides what we watch?”, examined how algorithms, platforms, broadcasters and festivals influence content visibility and creative freedom. The second, “Is making a good film enough today?”, focused on project viability, audience engagement, financing, distribution and international co-production. The event was hosted by Viktor Diachenko.
“Following last year’s successful launch, I now see Suspilne PRO as more than an annual industry event: it is a platform with the potential to provide sustained support for the development of Ukraine’s audiovisual industry. We are creating a space for open dialogue, sharing experience, new partnerships and professional growth.
I firmly believe that Suspilne Ukraine can and should be both a commissioner and producer of content and an active contributor to the industry’s development. As its founder, I want Suspilne PRO to extend beyond a single event each year through educational programmes, professional initiatives and international cooperation. Over time, I want this platform to become a place where people discuss the industry’s future and create opportunities for its development,” said Alona Holiakova, founder and producer of Suspilne PRO.
After the panel discussions, participants continued their conversations during a networking session with music by DJ Leo Levsky.
Suspilne PRO is an industry platform launched by Suspilne Ukraine to foster professional dialogue between the public broadcaster and Ukraine’s wider audiovisual, media and creative community.
This year’s event was originally scheduled for the second Friday in September, ahead of Ukrainian Cinema Day. However, following a deterioration in the security situation in Kyiv, it was postponed until 23 October and moved to another secure venue.
Suspilne Ukraine is an independent media company with a strong presence across all platforms: the TV channels Pershyi, Suspilne Kultura, Suspilne Sport, and a national network of local channels; the radio stations Ukrainske Radio, Radio Promin, Radio Kultura, Radiotochka. Find only verified news on suspilne.media, as well as on our national and local digital platforms. We broadcast in minority languages, represent Ukraine at the Eurovision Song Contest, develop the children’s platform Brobaks, and train media professionals through the Public Media Academy. Our Suspilne Mediateka platform offers unique video and audio archives dating from the 1920s to today. Defending freedom in Ukraine.
Photo by Valeriia Mezentseva / SuspilneUkraine
