Northern Ireland

Props from TV show Normal People auctioned off to help raise funds for Ukrainian film makers

Ukrainian film-maker, Li Biletska was awarded an Irish bursary by voluntary group Irish Filmmakers supporting Filmmakers
Ukrainian film-maker, Li Biletska was awarded an Irish bursary by voluntary group Irish Filmmakers supporting Filmmakers Ukrainian film-maker, Li Biletska was awarded an Irish bursary by voluntary group Irish Filmmakers supporting Filmmakers

Props from the popular TV show Normal People have been donated to help raise funds for Ukrainian film makers.

The items, which included signed scripts and a pair of shorts worn by actor, Paul Mescal, who played Connell in the show alongside Daisy Edgar-Jones, who played Marianne, were donated by Element Pictures.

Some of the funds raised have now been awarded to young documentary film-maker, Li Biletska via the DocuDays/DeutscheAkademie FilmBoost scheme for the creation of a short film.

In addition, Irish company Outer Limits has offered to provide post-production services free of charge.

The auction was organised by Órla Murphy from the voluntary group Irish Filmmakers.

The winning project by Li Biletska,who is originally from Kherson but who is now displaced and living in Kyiv due to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, was selected from more than 400 applicants by an international jury of judges to receive this special bursary from Ireland.

Li’s short film follows the lives of people living under occupation in the city of Kherson.

It documents the inhabitants as they move from their initial hopes of a quick release into the reality of a longer-term occupation and finally with the sense of an inevitable need to leave the ailing city.

On hearing of the award, Li said: "Being at the beginning of a new business is very exciting and a little scary.

"This award is very valuable support to me as an artist but even more valuable is the opportunity to tell a story about life under occupation in Kherson," she said.

"I believe that supporting Ukrainian culture and artists is an important contribution to the victory of the future over the past".

Li also created a photographic series called `Home Maria', which are portraits of women and girls under occupation in Kherson.