Is it possible to forgive someone who ruined several destinies at a time?! Is it worth looking into the eyes of your fear without having a guarantee that you will overcome it? Does the murderer of relatives deserve at least the right to be heard? Does grief have a term?! – these are the thoughts generated by watching the film online “Eye to Eye”, the screening of which was organized by NGO “Modern Format”.
On December 10, Finnish director John Webster’s “Eye-to-Eye” tape was presented in an online session, raising a hot topic – whether it is possible to restore relations between people after a crime has been committed. Spectators who have registered a questionnaire on the website of the Dodays International Festival have the opportunity to view it free of charge, having received a personal promo code.
After watching the documentary “Eye to eye”, the viewers returned to the ZOOM, where a discussion with experts on the theme “Does the Killer Deserve to be Recognized?”
The discussion was joined by Natalia Radushynska – Deputy Director of the Regional Center for Free Secondary Legal Aid in Zhytomyr Region; Olena Kovalenko – Regional Coordinator of Interaction with the Community of the Chief Representative of the Supreme Council of Ukraine for Human Rights in the Zhytomyr Region; Lina Babich – Head of the Zhytomyr District Department of the State Institution “Probation Center in the Zhytomyr Region”.
Lina Babich shares her impressions “The page is emotionally challenging. While watching the film, you think about the problems faced by the families of the victims of the crime. The difference between the film and the realities of Ukraine, where victims of a crime stay behind bars, is also striking. They are not helped to cope with their grief, they are deprived of psychological help. One of the heroines on the page says that even though it’s impossible to forgive him, the meetings with the convicted make her life easier. Besides, the film suggests the importance of preventing crimes, especially among children, and the introduction of basic justice in Ukraine.”
We have seen the stories of people who lost their loved ones, and for each of us this is one of the most important topics. For the heroes of this film was a real challenge – to open the wounded soul and begin the process of reconciliation, by participating in a dialogs – a process of negotiation, during which natives of the victims stay in touch with their killers.
Because of this true story and the people who overcame the fear of this experiment, all those who have watched or will view this page will definitely reflect on the fact that sometimes irrevocable things are made, for which it is impossible to forgive even yourself.