Ukraine is Not a Brothel - True/False Film Fest

Ukraine is Not a Brothel

Is there a better media hook than a group of topless feminist protesters, all hewing suspiciously close to traditional ideas of beauty? Femen is an activist movement started in the Ukraine to protest sex trafficking and the hyper-sexualization of Ukranian women. Their tactics? Topless protests, with slogans scrawled across their chests, and elaborate pieces of street theater. And, no surprise, they’ve been very effective at getting media attention for their cause. But for many observers, something seemed . . . off. Are all politically active Ukrainian women really this thin and blonde? What fuels Femen and who funds Femen? Australian filmmaker Kitty Green made a journey of discovery and, having won the trust of the group, uncovered Femen’s biggest secrets. Ukraine Is Not a Brothel is a complex, provocative film, with plenty to say about feminism and its discontents. (DW)
Director: Kitty Green
Runtime: 1:18
In-person: director Kitty Green and subject Inna Shevchenko
Fest Year: 2014
Femen, Ukraine’s topless feminist protesters create headlines wherever they go. But is there a darker truth behind the sharpie slogans?