Private Project

A Sentimental Journey to the Parajanov Planet

A documentary homage to Sergei Parajanov, a renowned filmmaker and a brilliant artist, on the occasion of the centenary of his birth. Embark on a mesmerizing journey into the world of Sergei Parajanov, and witness the blend of unique archive material with surrealistic puppetry scenes, seamlessly blurring the lines between imagination and reality.

  • Taras Tomenko
    Director
    2022 / Terykony / Boney Piles, documentary 2021 / Budynok Slovo. Neskinchenyi roman / Slovo House. Unfinished Novel 2017 / Budynok 'Slovo'/ Slovo House, documentary
  • Taras Tomenko
    Writer
    2022 / Terykony / Boney Piles, documentary 2021 / Budynok Slovo. Neskinchenyi roman / Slovo House. Unfinished Novel 2017 / Budynok 'Slovo'/ Slovo House, documentary
  • Pylyp Illienko
    Producer
    Toloka, Slovo House. Unfinished Novel, Ideal Friend
  • Andriy Ryzvaniuk
    Producer
  • Lukian Halkin
    Producer
  • Alona Holiakova
    Producer
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Сентиментальна подорож до планети Параджанова
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    July 1, 2024
  • Production Budget:
    73,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Ukraine
  • Country of Filming:
    Ukraine
  • Language:
    Ukrainian
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Warsaw International Film Festival
    Warsaw
    Poland
    October 16, 2024
    World Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Kyiv Molodist International Film Festival
    Kyiv
    Ukraine
    October 29, 2024
    Ukrainian Premiere
    Special Screening
  • Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
    Tallinn
    Estonia
    November 14, 2024
    Estonian Premiere
    Special Screening
Distribution Information
  • Illienko Film Productions LLC
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Taras Tomenko

Taras Tomenko is a Ukrainian film director and scriptwriter, born in 1976 in Kyiv, a member of EFA. He graduated from the Faculty of Philology, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and the Film Faculty of Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University. His student short film Shooting Gallery (2001) won an award at Berlinale Panorama and ARTE-France Prize at Venice IFF. His documentary Boney Piles was screened at Berlinale Generation Kplus 2022. Slovo House. Unfinished Novel had its world premiere at Warsaw IFF 2021 and became a box-office hit in Ukraine

Selected Filmography
2024/ A Sentimental Journey to the Parajanov Planet, documentary
2022 / Terykony / Boney Piles, documentary
2021 / Budynok Slovo. Neskinchenyi roman / Slovo House. Unfinished Novel
2017 / Budynok 'Slovo'/ Slovo House, documentary
2016/ Dity Donbasu/ Children of Donbass, documentary
2015/ Checkpoint Ukraine, documentary
2007 /Mamochki / Prison Mamas, documentary
2006 /Liza /Liza, documentary film
2004 /Peresohla Zemlia/Parched Land, short film
2001 /Tyr /Shooting Gallery, short film
1999 /Biynia /Slaughter House, short film

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Sentimental Journey to the Planet of Parajanov is an intimate, cinematic exploration of the life and legacy of Serhiy Parajanov, one of cinema’s most enigmatic and visionary artists. In this film, I aim to blend two realms: the factual, historical world of Parajanov's persecution—drawn from KGB archives, interrogations, and trial documents—and the imaginative, surreal universe of his art, where puppets, marionettes, and collages offer a window into his creative soul.
The idea for the film was born out of Parajanov’s own acts of creation during imprisonment, when he made intricate puppets and collages by hand. He sent these works to his friends—Fellini, Tarkovsky, Truffaut—offering them a rare glimpse into his inner world, even as he endured political and personal suffering. The decision to make a puppet the central character of the film is both a tribute to Parajanov’s art and a symbolic gesture, allowing us to experience the world through his eyes, where reality and fantasy converge.
Parajanov was not only a cinematic genius but also a master of mystification, surrounding his life with a cloud of myths and legends. These stories, often blending fact with fiction, form the backbone of the film. I have drawn upon the recollections of his friends, colleagues, and collaborators to construct a narrative that weaves together memory, myth, and artistic expression. The use of marionettes serves as a metaphor for the complex interplay between control and freedom in Parajanov’s life and work.
In Sentimental Journey to the Planet of Parajanov, I invite the audience to embark on a journey not just through his biography, but into the heart of his creative spirit. Through this film, I hope to offer a fresh perspective on an artist whose work transcends time and whose legacy continues to inspire wonder, provocation, and deep reflection.