The state enterprise “Multimedia Platform for Foreign Broadcasting of Ukraine”, with the assistance of the National Antarctic Science Center, is preparing a documentary project in English, Science Warriors, in Antarctica. The author of the expedition film, journalist and presenter of Ukrainian foreign broadcasting projects Gennady Kurkin (Henry Keen) is at the Ukrainian Antarctic station “Akademik Vernadsky”, where he is filming materials about Ukrainian polar explorers, Antarctica and the Ukrainian icebreaker “Noosphere”.
The original documentary Science Warriors is being filmed in English for UATV.English and The Gaze, and it will also be adapted into Ukrainian, Spanish, Russian and Arabic for other platforms of the State Enterprise “MPIU”.
The film will tell about Ukrainian polar explorers, “fighting penguins,” as their colleagues jokingly call them. They defend Ukraine at the front, and also develop Ukrainian science. The slogan of the future film is In memory of those fallen, in hope for those alive. It is dedicated to all Ukrainian scientists who today fight for the freedom and independence of the country with arms in hand, as well as to the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for Ukraine.
“We, as a country, need to be here and now in the Ukrainian Antarctic, not stop and move forward, despite the war, despite the war. Because here is the scientific front. Perhaps these are pretentious words. But this is good pathos, necessary pathos. Pathos of development. And there are things that are important to continue doing. Some of the scientists arrived at the Antarctic station “Akademik Vernadsky” directly from the front. After a year of staying here (the shift lasts exactly that long), they leave again for the front. I hope that our film will allow people who are truly interested in Ukrainian science and our country to understand why Ukraine needs to maintain its presence in Antarctica,” says Gennady Kurkin.
The journalist notes that, despite the full-scale aggression of Russia, the development of science is very important for Ukraine and the National Antarctic Science Center continues basic research, maintains important infrastructure and ensures the operation of the station. In addition to the film Science Warriors, Gennady Kurkin is preparing a series of materials for various platforms of the State Enterprise “MPIU” (TV channels “Dom” and FREEDOM, platforms The Gaze, UATV English, UATV Español, قناة UATV الأوكرانية), in which he talks about Antarctica, the work of the Ukrainian station “Akademik” Vernadsky” and the first Ukrainian icebreaker “Noosphere”.
The film crew of the Ukrainian foreign broadcast arrived at the station along with the 29th Ukrainian Antarctic Expedition from the port of Punta Arenas (Chile). Gennady Kurkin became the first Ukrainian journalist to sail to Antarctica on board the Ukrainian research vessel Noosphere. While traveling aboard the Ukrainian icebreaker and staying at the station, Ukrainian television crews not only work on the film, they become part of the crew of the ship and station and perform support work to ensure their functioning.
For reference: Gennady Kurkins (pseudonym Gennady Kurkin, Henry Keen) is a citizen of Latvia, journalist, host of the projects “People”, UATV.Q&A, Talk For more, Wrap-up and others on the channels of the State Enterprise “MPIU” FREEDOM, UATV.English, The Gaze. He came to Ukraine at the beginning of the full-scale invasion as a volunteer together with TIME journalists, bringing medicine and ambulances for the Okhmatdyt children’s hospital and one of the military hospitals. Fluent in five languages. After completing the volunteer mission, I decided to stay in Ukraine to work on Ukrainian foreign broadcasting channels and convey to foreigners the truth about Russia’s war against our country.