In just ten days, Distance to Independence, a Ukrainian-Canadian documentary, will begin its national screening tour across Canada. The screenings will be accompanied by the film’s producers: Akim Galimov, a prominent Ukrainian journalist and founder of the popular Real History project, and Anna Palenchuk, a Toronto-based film producer who initiated the project. The tour will run from November 16 to 24, visiting nine Canadian cities.
The tour marks the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s historic independence referendum on December 1, 1991, and Canada’s recognition of Ukraine’s independence on December 2 of that year.
Distance to Independence tells a remarkable and largely untold story of a group of young Canadians and Americans of Ukrainian descent who travelled to Ukraine in the summer of 1991 to support its struggle for independence.
Over 99 days, from Ukraine’s declaration of independence on August 24 to the historic referendum on December 1, they travelled across the country, promoted democratic values, and encouraged Ukrainians to vote in favour of independence.
They brought printing equipment from Canada, produced and distributed informational materials, organized public awareness campaigns, and even brought television producers from the United States to create one of the first television advertisements supporting Ukrainian independence. Their journey took them to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions and southern Ukraine, where the prospect of an independent Ukrainian state was still the subject of intense public debate.
One of the organizers of this historic journey was Borys Wrzesnewskyj, a prominent member of the Ukrainian Canadian community who later served four terms as a Member of Parliament in Canada.
Throughout the journey, Wrzesnewskyj documented events with his video camera. Thirty-five years later, those unique recordings became an essential part of the documentary. The filmmakers gained access to approximately 20 videotapes, which were digitized in Toronto. This remarkable archival footage allows audiences to witness Ukraine during the final months of the Soviet Union.
The documentary features several participants in these historic events, including John Hewko, an American lawyer of Ukrainian descent; Stefko Bandera, grandson of Stepan Bandera; Roman Darewych, a prominent Ukrainian Canadian community activist; and Roman Zyla, Executive Director of the Ukrainian World Congress.
“We are used to talking about Ukraine’s independence through major political events, parliamentary decisions, and the historic referendum. But our film reveals another, equally important dimension of this story: ordinary people who decided to take action. They believed their involvement could help shape the future of their ancestors’ homeland. We want audiences to see that even the actions of a small group of people can become part of profound historical change.” — Akim Galimov, journalist, founder of the Real History project, and co-producer of Distance to Independence.
During the production of the documentary, the filmmakers conducted more than 30 interviews with participants in the events of 1991. By combining their personal memories with previously unseen archival footage, the film recreates the atmosphere of that pivotal year and highlights the important role of the Ukrainian diaspora in Ukraine’s path to independence.
The documentary was made possible through the generous financial support of the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, Shevchenko Foundation, Huculak Foundation, and UNF Foundation.
The film’s Canadian distribution is handled by Kazka Films.
Canadian Screening Tour: November 16-24, 2026
The documentary will be screened in nine cities across Canada:
November 16 — Ottawa and Vancouver
November 17 — Montreal
November 18 — Toronto
November 19 — Winnipeg
November 21 — Regina
November 22 — Saskatoon
November 23 — Edmonton
November 24 — Calgary
All screenings will be followed by discussions and Q&A sessions featuring the film’s producers and special guests.
The film was made possible through financial support from the Canada-Ukraine Foundation, Shevchenko Foundation, Huculak Foundation.
Tickets and screening information:
https://www.eventbrite.ca/cc/distance-to-independence-film-screenings-4882742/
Official website:
https://dtifilm.com
Official trailer:
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