“I am very pleased to present the film Standing Free, which holds special meaning for me. The film was made by a close friend of mine, a Canadian director with Ukrainian roots. The documentary follows Max, a Ukrainian-Canadian teenager who travels through the war-torn country after his family home was destroyed by Russian forces. It shows how Ukrainians—from civilians to soldiers—have been shaped by the war but are united by their strength. I helped the director find people in Ukraine to interview, and I’m proud to have contributed in a small way to the film. What touches me most is that my younger sister appears in the film, with scenes shot at my former school in Kyiv.”