Ukrainian-born Vasyl Slipak was an internationally renowned opera singer. He lived and worked in France for 19 years, where he was a soloist at the Paris Opera. Vasyl Slipak possessed a very rare voice, a countertenor. When the Russian military aggression against Ukraine broke out, he volunteered to the frontline. Vasyl Slipak was killed with a large-caliber sniper rifle near Luhanske, Donetsk region, on June 29, 2016. He was fighting in the ranks of the 7th separate battalion of the Ukrainian Volunteer Corps.
“The story of Vasyl Slipak is so remarkable that it could have been made up. But fortunately, or unfortunately, it is a true story. It comes as a powerful challenge to us – feature film directors and documentary filmmakers. Our task now is to present this incredible story to the viewer making it as strong as it was in real life,” said Leonid Kanter, screenwriter, producer and film director of the documentary “Myth” about Vasyl Slipak, the fallen Hero of Ukraine, at a press-briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center. “Myth” was Slipak’s nom de guerre, short name from Mephistopheles, a character of the “Faust” opera and the aria Slipak was performing on world’s top stages.
The film crew went to the front to talk to Vasyl’s brothers-in-arms, later they headed to France to meet his friends and colleagues. In Lviv, Vasyl’s native city, his brother Orest let them access the family archive and shared his memories of his brother. “One of the biggest gains in our mutual work is the internationally renowned composer Yevgeniy Galperin,” said cameraman and film director Ivan Yasniy. He is a friend of Vasyl Slipak, and has provided his musical works for the film. Musician and graphic artist Yuriy Zhuravel created animation.
Filmmakers engaged Spilnokosht platform to collect funds for shooting of the film. Three weeks are left till the end of the campaign. “We need to collect 20 per cent more. […] At this stage it is crucial to get active and spread the information as wide as we can as well as join the project, so that we can implement it and it becomes a success,” said Diana Karpenko, co-producer of the film.
The film “Myth” will be released later this year. It will be dubbed and subtitled both for the international and domestic audience, as most of the film comes in French language. The film crew plans to showcase the filmed story of Ukraine’s patriot at international film festivals.
