Nordic Partners Board Ukrainian Anthology Series

Sweden’s SVT, Norway’s NRK and Finland’s Yle have boarded the new Ukrainian anthology series Those Who Stayed.

Co-developed by FILM.UA and Red Arrow Studios International, the six-parter is inspired by the stories of Ukrainians who decided to stay in Kyiv following the beginning of the Russian invasion. Each episode will be written and directed by different Ukrainian creators, who will tell their own stories or those that they witnessed.

Producers for the project are Anna Eliseeva and Kateryna Vyshnevska, with Anastasiia Lodkina serving as showrunner. Red Arrow Studios International is handling global distribution.

Lodkina and Eliseeva, creators of the project, said: “Those Who Stayed aims to amplify and showcase the voices of the different writer-director duos behind each episode. The scripts are inspired by the true, truly moving and sometimes hilarious stories that happened to or were witnessed by them. And those stories show just how much we learn about humanity through the incredible choices ordinary people make every day.”

Kateryna Vyshnevska, head of development and co-productions at FILM.UA Group, said: “The world as we know it has changed. February 2022 ushered in a war in the heart of Europe. May February 2023 usher in a year where we, the citizens of Europe, stand together to protect our values and tell our shared stories. Nordic partners boarding a Ukrainian project codeveloped with a German studio shows that we can do great things together. We are excited to share this important story with the world!”

Anna Croneman, head of drama at SVT, added: “SVT are very proud to be part in the making of Those Who Stayed. The war in Ukraine is covered by the media but the ongoing, everyday life of the people of Ukraine we cannot even imagine. This unique series changes that, and truly makes a difference”.

Rodrigo Herrera Ibarguengoytia, VP of scripted acquisitions and co-productions at Red Arrow Studios International, said: “Those Who Stayed is a project with such urgency and immediacy—we cannot wait to share it with the world. The emotional connection of creators telling their own story, in their own words, has resulted in remarkably creative scripts, and ensures that this series will be sincere, genuine and relatable.”