"Can You Hear Me" + Q&A With Filmmakers + Award Ceremony
About
Join Federal Senator for NSW and Co-Chair of the Australia-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group Deborah O'Neill and NSW MP for Auburn Lynda Voltz for:1) The screening of the Kyiv Independent's documentary film, “Can You Hear Me? The Invisible Battles of Ukrainian Military Medics”.
2) A Q&A with the Kyiv Independent's Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko
3) Presentation of Letters of Appreciation to three brave Australian men who risked their lives on the front line to protect Ukrainian sovereignty and independence.
"Can You Hear Me?" has been screened in 18 countries across Europe and the U.S, and this is the first screening in Australia. The screening is at NSW Parliament House Theatrette, and is co-hosted by Federal Senator for NSW and Co-Chair of the Australia-Ukraine Parliamentary Friendship Group Deborah O'Neill and NSW MP for Auburn Lynda Voltz in collaboration with the Ukrainian Embassy in Australia and the Ukrainian Council of NSW.
The film’s authors Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko followed a group of Ukrainian military medics as they journeyed from the heat of battle in war-torn Ukraine to the serene forests of Sweden for a short mental health retreat. As they find themselves in a peaceful, quiet environment in Sweden for the first time since 2022, the medics have a chance to process the accumulated trauma, opening up about losing brothers-in-arms, surviving Russian captivity, and the inescapable feeling of guilt for not being able to save some of the soldiers they treated.
The film will be screened in Ukrainian with English subtitles, followed by a discussion with The Kyiv Independent’s Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko.
Francis Farrell is an Australian journalist and front-line reporter at the Kyiv Independent, Ukraine's biggest independent English-language media outlet. Since 2022, he has covered Russia's war against Ukraine from the front lines, frequently embedding with the Ukrainian military, speaking to top commanders and analysts, and also documenting Russian war crimes and the toll of Moscow's war on Ukrainian civilians. Francis is an alumnus of Leiden University in the Netherlands and University College London.
Olena Zashko is a videographer at the Kyiv Independent. She has previously worked as a videographer at the Suspilne Kultura documentary unit. She also has experience working as a journalist at Hromadske news outlet and has worked as a freelance journalist with different Ukrainian media. Olena has a master’s in journalism from the Ukrainian Catholic University.
WARNING: This film contains graphic scenes. They are intended to reflect the harsh realities of war, but they may be distressing to some viewers.
The event will also introduce and acknowledge three brave Australians who have fought for Ukraine and since returned to Australia. The Ukrainian Embassy in Australia will present Letters of Appreciation to these men who risked their lives to protect Ukrainian sovereignty and independence. Join us to thank them and acknowledge their bravery.
100% of net event proceeds will be donated to Defend Ukraine Appeal.
Date
Thursday 7 May 2026 5:45 PM - 8:00 PM (UTC+10)Location
NSW Parliament Theatrette
6 Macquarie St, Sydney NSW 2000
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"Can You Hear Me" + Q&A With Filmmakers + Award Ceremony
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