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Harvest of Despair (The 1932-33 Famine in Ukraine)

This award-winning film documents the tragic consequences of the forgotten holocaust in Ukraine. While Stalin was selling millions of tons of wheat to Western markets, people in Ukraine were dying of brutal starvation at a rate of 25,000 a day (or 17 people a minuter). Up to 10 million innocent victims perished in this famine brought on by ruthless decree.

This film probes the tragic consequence of Ukraine's national struggle for greater cultural and political autonomy in the 1920's and 1930's. Through rare archival footage, the results of Stalin's lethal countermeasures unfold in harrowing detail and include moving eyewitness accounts of survivors as well as commentary by noted journalists and public officials.

Awards: 1st Prize: Houston International Film Festival; Best in Social Documentary category: Columbus International Film Festival; Best original music score, Special Jury Award, Canadian Heritage Award: Yorkton Short Film & Video Festival; 1st Prize, Gold Medal, Grand Silver Bowl Trophy: New York Film International Film & T.V. Festival Non-competitive festivals: Strasburg International Film Festival; Festival des Films du Monde; New York Film Festival

Produced by the Ukrainian Canadian Research & Documentation Centre
620 Spadina Avenue
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
M5S 2H4
(416) 966-1819

Director: Slavko Novytski,
Producers: Yuri Luhovy and S. Novytski.
Editor: Yuri Luhovy

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Introduction Russian Revolution
Lenin Tolerates Ukrainians Russian Nationalism
Stalins 5year plan Stalin Against Kulaks
Results of Resistance Grain Quota Raised
Soviets Take Food Passport System
Policies Enforced Children Put on Trains
Victims Begin to Die Outside Witnesses
Collection of Corpses Foreign Relief Offered
Height of Famine Denial of Famine
Parents Warn Children Foreign Visitors Fooled
Malcolm Muggeridge USSR League of Nations
Soviet Denial Continues