Autentic Distribution, the trade arm of the documentary label Autentic and a subsidiary of the German Beta Group, has acquired international distribution rights to the documentaries Mariupol. Unlost Hope and 9 Lives, produced by the Organization of Ukrainian Producers (OUP).

“We are very proud to be the global distributor of these two documentaries by renowned Ukrainian producers. Film Mariupol. Unlost Hope tells about the first weeks of the blockade of Mariupol through the eyes of a very strong woman, it is a super impressive and deeply shocking film with great storytelling, and we think Autentic should offer it everywhere. The film 9 Lives shows the war through the fate of animals: cats, dogs, lions, horses and others, and, of course, through the eyes of the animal-loving Ukrainian people. Anyone who loves animals will be absolutely moved by this film,” said Mirjam Strasser, Head of Sales & Acquisitions, Autentic Distribution.

“We are grateful to our colleagues from Autentic Distribution who were actively involved in the creation of OUP documentary projects. Their tremendous experience is the key to success in the sales of our films,” said producer Ihor Storchak, co-founder of the Organization of Ukrainian Producers. “International sales for us are, first of all, the reach and the number of people who will see the truth about the war in Ukraine, and secondly, the money that we can spend on filming new documentary projects and supporting the professionals involved in the Ukrainian industry.”

Mariupol. Unlost Hope will show the Russian-Ukrainian war through the eyes of ordinary people who lived through the first month of the invasion in Mariupol. This is a film-evidence, film-truth of ordinary citizens who find themselves inside the war.

9 Lives is a film about volunteers who, at the risk of their own lives, saved animals out of burning and destroyed apartments. About people who did not leave, but stayed to save those who are weaker and cannot defend themselves. About the heroes who refused to leave animals in zoos and shelters even during the fiercest shelling.

The Organization of Ukrainian Producers (OUP) is a group of seven experienced Ukrainian TV and film producers Volodymyr Borodiansky (media manager), Viktor Mirsky (Co-founder Film.UA Group), Daria Leygonie-Fialko (Founder & Producer SPACE Production), Alla Lypovetska (Founder & Producer Mamas Production), Iryna Zaria (Founder & Producer Ukrainian Production Studio), Maryna Kvasova (Founder & Producer Mamas Production) and Ihor Storchak (Founder & Producer Gingers Media) created in March 2022 to film a full-scale Russian aggression against Ukraine. Now the OUP produced six documentaries and one feature film, it will become the first feature film shot in Ukraine since the beginning of the war.