Soluk Films & Media Archive
 
Bohdan Soluk July 2, 1922 – December 11, 1994
Soluk-Films : Documentary resource of the Ukrainian Diaspora By Roman Yatsiv, Candidate of Arts
(Oct 16, 2014 org, corrected translation Jan 15, 2020) Hollywood, California, USA ... Thirty years ago, films dealing with Ukrainian history and culture could be ordered from Soluk Films. One of the most effective centers of Ukraine abroad was located at this point in the heart of the Hollywood movie industry, from which documentaries showing the national spirit throughout the whole of the Ukrainian community outside the homeland. The purveyor of this institution was a native of the village of Strelbichi (now - Starosambirsky district, Lviv region) Bohdan Soluk (born July 2, 1922 – deceased December 11, 1994), who created a private movie studio known as "Soluk-Films", which operated for several decades successfully within the system of American cinema. Early works focused on feature film product, while later works focused on documentaries that combined professionalism, a broad cultural and artistic outlook and a deep national commitment. Bohdan Soluk's name is mentioned quite often in the chronicles of cultural events in Canada and the United States beginning in 1950s. Before his move to the American continent, he was able to establish himself in the profession that further defined his life. He received his high school education in 1931-1939, after which he studied at Lviv Polytechnic (1939-1944). With the end of World War II, he ended up in Germany, where he studied film production at the specialized school Arnold-Richter at the Bavaria-Film Studio (Munich, 1947). While there he edited the illustrated magazine "In a Foreign Land". The following year, in the wake of the devastated war in Germany, the 26-year-old Ukrainian set up his first studio "Soluk-Film", in which he set himself the goal of creating a cinematic record of Ukraine's history. The first breakthrough of his own efforts was the Bandura-Chorus film, dedicated to the famous Bandurist Chorus, which, under the direction of V. Bozhik and G. Kitasty, made a triumphant tour of European cities. Little was known about this film (done in 1946-47), which was immediately shown in many Ukrainian camps for displaced persons and in professional circles. It was musical and lasted only fifteen minutes. Bohdan Soluk donated all the proceeds from the showings to the Wanderers Aid Fund. Visiting many of his compatriots, who, under the pressure of post-war circumstances, were waiting for the determination of their future fates, prompted Bohdan Soluk to make his next film “Ukrainian DP in Germany”. He had been the editor of an illustrated magazine, and using that experience, he moved to showing that the Ukrainian camps for displaced persons, were thick with cultural and domestic events. A producer friend, Vasily Didyuk, greatly appreciated Bohdan’s work very much and wrote about this new work by B. Soluk: “It was hard to believe when I was watching this movie that I once lived, worked and hoped ... Once I thought it was worth writing a book about the life and times in the camps, it would be interesting and great. But the film presented in a few minutes the entire course of life of those DPs, and so bright and touching that the viewer briefly forgets and is transported somewhere into that frame of the camp inhabitants. He views and recalls how these homeless Ukrainians study at the camp schools, at professional works, as they write scientific works, prepare for exams, and show their various artistic abilities.” In 1949, Bohdan Soluk moved to Canada, where he continued what he began in Europe, editing a new Ukrainian Illustrator. Adapting to the new conditions of production in Toronto, he would periodically travel to the United States, looking for opportunities with Hollywood movie studios. In 1953, he completed a training course at the Film and Television Institute in New York, whereupon he returned to Canada. He established the radio program " Ukrainian Voice of Toronto". It ran from 1953-1954, featuring the latest available music, also marketed under the brand name "Soluk-Film". One of the early creative "products" of his studio (1953) was the adaptation of the version of the feature film "Romance in the Carpathians", with photography conducted by B. Soluk's studio- partner "Muse-Film" in the Motherland. It was a melodrama, featuring "love, intrigue, tragedy and beautiful landscapes of the Hutsulschyna region" (as it was written in the newspaper announcement of the show). One of B. Soluk's friends from Germany, Lev Silenko, a young writer, philosopher, and the future founder of the spiritual doctrine of the RUN-faith, prepared materials for the news program in the radio program. Both of them searched for new topics for a film. Ultimately they agreed on the idea of the new film, "Catacombs of Lviv". The film was released in Canada and the United States in 1955. Well-versed in the topic of Moscow’s blasphemy in the sphere of religion, Lev Orligor (literary pseudo L. Silenko) wrote the script and directed the film, which dealt with the historical attempt to destroy the Ukrainian Church and the insurgent movement in Ukraine. Boris Berest, a film reviewer, drew attention to the "deep knowledge" of the screenwriter and director but questioned “the placement within current modern cinema”, while noting the following: "... L. Orligora's non-fictional and creative imagination and B. Soluk's marvelous hard work and technical demand, fueled by youthful passion, melted in a creative pot, creating an extraordinary union.” However, there were some production weaknesses in this filmmaking stemming from the low budget. The next work of B. Soluk's studio, the movie "Black Sea People", failed to become an artistic success, despite being patriotic. Subsequently Soluk decided to take "Soluk-Film" in the direction of documentaries rather than feature films. Bohdan Soluk quickly "muscled" into the documentary field. His next film, Charm of the Dance (1955), was a great success, which thematically extended the artistic line from his first film about the Bandura Chorus. The value of this new color film, almost 70 minutes in length, was that it remained the only source in which the skill of prominent Ukrainian dancers and choreographers Olena Gerdan-Zaklinskaya, Roma Priyma, as well as the performance of soloists of the choreographic studio "Apollo" by the famous dance enthusiast G. Zavarikhina. "This film, full-length and in color, is undoubtedly one of our best film achievements, both technical and artistic," the newspaper Svoboda enthusiastically wrote in its publication. - “Crying of Yaroslavna” by Zaklinskaya, or “Oblivyi Mondays” and “Harvest” by Roma Priyma are classic examples of Ukrainian ballet creativity and performance. We loved all of the dance groups.... " Bohdan Soluk next undertook to document the upcoming European tour of the Ukrainian Bandura Chorus, producing a full-length (one and a half hour), color film “Bandura Chorus in Europe”. After spending a lot of time with the staff of the Chorus on the appropriate routes, and already known in wide professional circles, the Ukrainian producer created an insightful story about the creative musical team, combining ways of reporting, interviewing and engaging archival artifacts. One of the reviewers in " Svoboda " called the young film producer's new work "a document of glory, beauty and patriotic dedication." "The Chorus traveled by all means of transport: - by plane, ship, rail and bus, across the European continent, or rather, what was left of it on the western side of the Iron Curtain," wrote an anonymous columnist. - The map, used by the commentator (Prof. Zenon Satan) to clarify and helps the viewer to follow this patriotic and artistic journey of our Chorus, starting in Madrid then to Barcelona in Spain, through France, Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Sweden and ending in England. Not only does the viewer see the Capella’s path on the map, the film includes footage of many suburbs and cultural and historical sites. The film includes most characteristic hight-lights of many countries and cities in which Capella performed. Against this backdrop, the main action of the film is showing the Capella and her artistic directors PP. Kitasty and Bozhik, the beautiful dance company Orlyk with its artistic director, Mr. Dnestrovik, performing the timeless Ukrainian songs and Ukrainian dances to the accompaniment of the Ukrainian bandura. The documentary shows the triumphs in Europe's most iconic concert halls, the big billboards that record the Capella’s and Orlik's performances and excerpts of about 150 European newspapers reviews that published the most laudable reviews of the work of the Chorus and dancers, showing enthusiasm for Ukrainian culture and for patriotism for their enslaved Homeland. From this they received the strength & courage to leave their families, leave their daily work and travel the great distance and to perform 62 times during the 75 days of their trip. ” The response to the Soluk-Film presentations helped bring the young filmmaker to the attention of many well-known representatives of national culture in Canada and the United States. In particular, the participation of Bohdan Soluk was seen in the staging of the First Meeting of Ukrainian Artists of Canada and America with Toronto Citizenship (1954), where his name appeared alongside such figures as O. Arkhipenko, V. Avramenko, V. Bark, S. Gordynskyi, J. Girnyak, M. Golynskyi, D. Humenna, V. Yemets, G. Kitasty, O. Lyaturinskaya, U. Samchuk and many others. This large-scale event was dedicated to “honor and the memory of those who opposed attacks upon the bastion of Ukraine & the Ukrainian Culture, those who have fallen in the deadly struggle against the Muscovite influence, and those who will continue to fall until peace and freedom in the East of Europe is achieved and a free Ukrainian State”. He was honored for his deliberate efforts to create a cinematic record of Ukrainian history and culture. Subsequently he began to lay plans for his next project, a large film under the title "Ukrainians in North America." On April 18, 1956, at the Literary Arts Club in New York, he premiered his new work. A columnist at Svoboda magazine noted that “... this film is a compilation of local churches, institutions, editorial offices, trade enterprises and some major events in the larger centers of Ukrainian life in Canada and the United States, and it fits the name of the film, telling document about the Ukrainian state of residence and the Ukrainian life in these two American countries, visiting the locations where most Ukrainian immigrants can be found.” For this purpose B. Soluk with his own camera visited many American cities (among them - New York, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Boston), where he recorded a color film showing episodes of Ukrainian cultural life. Given the rarity of this documentary, it is worthwhile to take advantage of the brief description of the content of the film submitted by Svoboda (April 25, 1986) by the author under the pseudonym "I. B." ...We begin our journey from New York, which shows Ukrainian central institutions, bookstores, etc., further - UNU with the New Jersey State Liberty Publishing House. Then the camera takes us to Philadelphia, Pa., Where a great deal of time is devoted to the winding up of the grand manifestation organized by SUMA and Plast. From Philadelphia, the camera transports us to the mountains of Pennsylvania, where our first pioneers, the coal miners, settled. Shown further are the communities in Syracuse and Buffalo, and thence to Toronto, Canada, where a significant Ukrainian center has settled. In Ottawa, the Canadian capital, we meet our ministers, senators. After visiting Montreal, Canada's largest city, the camera takes us to the western steppes of Canada near Edmonton, where our farmers have moved. The film portrays the hard work of our pioneers and their contribution to building Canada. In Winnipeg, Ukraine, we see many Ukrainian institutions and the K.U.K. Congress, at which such figures as our President Ex-President M. Livitsky and Metropolitan Mstislav speak. The camera then takes us to America, Chicago and Detroit, which shows our churches, schools and the glorious bandura band under the direction of G. Kytasty. The second part of the film shows the west coast of America Los Angeles, Hollywood and the achievements of the local Ukrainian community, churches, presentation of debutantes, Poltava quartet, Dancing and more. In conclusion, the film features the impressive First Congress of Free Ukrainians in New York, along with performances by our Canadian and American figures, ballet companies and symphony orchestra at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The images in this Congress are extremely moving and powerful. The film concludes with the Ukrainian anthem. On the screen, the sounds of the anthem promote the figures of Shevchenko, Frank, Konovalets, Chyprinky and the march of Ukrainian youth. This film received its well-deserved applause by the audience. " In the 1960s, Bohdan Soluk moved to the United States, settling near Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. Being closer to the center of American cinematic industry would afford him many more opportunities. For more than two decades of exhaustive work in his fields, he received a number of awards from American professional institutions, he was a member of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), founded his own company SOL-LUX an enterprise for the sale of newsreel cameras and accessories in Hollywood. While in Hollywood he resumed his one-hour radio program " Voice of Ukraine ". He continued to publish music and films under the brand name "Soluk-Film" in the 1960-1980's a broad range of topics of national history and life. He produced - "Ukrainians in Hollywood". On another color film, he captured the traditions of immigrant Ukrainians at the "Dauphin Festival". Other films – “Ukrainian Pioneers”, “Lviv Speaks”, and the “First World Congress of Free Ukrainians” - he documented important episodes in the 21st century’s history. B. Soluk looked for the right resources for each topic. Thus, in the film "Liberation of Ukraine 1918- 1921", he used archival materials from the Ukrainian Historical Institute in Toronto, a documented story of UNR Army general of the UNR Mikhail Sadovsky about the events of the period of Ukrainian national liberation campaigns. For another of his films "Baptism of Ukraine" B. Soluk used reproductions of graphic works by the famous artist Volodymyr Balyas, and a musical score performed on bandura by the famous G. Kitasty. By the early 1980s, Bohdan Soluk, already a well-known film producer who was recognized in professional circles of Hollywood and in Ukrainian congregations of the USA and Canada, redirected his studio's focus to video production. The new technologies in the film industry, allowed the works of "Soluk-Film" available the new generation of Ukrainians at home and abroad. Bohdan Soluk did not tire of organizing presentations of his films in different cities on the American continent, speaking to different audiences and enlivening those events with his personal appearance. Throughout 1980s and 1990s the interest of Ukrainians in his work faded as interest in the native Ukrainian Independent State being restored became the dominant topic. In 1989, Vasyl Didyuk a friend of B. Soluk, noted that
“all of B. Soluk's films are inspired by patriotism and love for Ukraine. (...) He is still full of energy and ideas. B. Soluk's great contribution to Ukrainian film production deserves the recognition and gratitude of the Ukrainian community." He further wrote the following: “For many years our history has been written to us by foreign invaders. They wrote it as they saw fit and needed, ignoring the truth, without invoking anything. And on this, once, and now in particular, our Ukrainian true history, already written by us, suffers. It suffers because the world, hostile to us, does not treat it properly, and often denies it, because it has accumulated “truths” from the history of us not favored, or simply perverted in favor of those who crucified our Ukraine!”. It is in this context that Bohdan Soluk's efforts are particularly valuable to the modern Ukrainian state. Unfortunately, his films are currently not available to viewers in Ukraine. Moreover, experts in the field of history and culture do not have access to this unique documentary resource for their research. The creator of "Soluk-Film" and dozens of films covering different genres, subjects, not only was he a first-rate manager, director of his own films, but also a versatile intellectual, historical-researcher, organizer and ideolog of the national cultural movement, outside the Ukrainian homeland. Twenty-six years have passed this year since he passed away in Los Angeles. The remains of Bohdan Soluk were buried "in Washington D.C. USA at the Cedar Gill Mausoleum." Let us not forget to honor the memory of a prominent figure of Ukrainian culture and recognize his great creative contribution to Ukrainian heritage.

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