Kyiv Critics' Week x NL

Kyiv Critics' Week is one of Ukraine’s most prominent film festivals, showcasing the best of world cinema to local audiences, selected and presented by professional Ukrainian film critics.
Last year in Amsterdam, De Balie initiated a unique collaboration with the critics of KCW, resulting in a three-day event that brought highlights of Ukrainian cinema to the Netherlands. This year, under the name KCW x NL, the project is expanding to Rotterdam and The Hague, with the goal to include broader Dutch audiences and Ukrainian diaspora from different cities.

This year’s festival theme is Away From Home. Since February 2022, more than 6 million Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes—a continuation of a long history of emigration driven by conflict, economic hardship, and political instability. This recurring experience of exile and the quest for belonging has not only reshaped lives but also deeply influenced Ukrainian cinema, infusing its narratives with questions of identity, exile, and hope.