In a current globalized world, all peoples face a burning issue of preserving their national identity. For Ukrainians, it is exacerbated by Russia’s forceful attempts at actual genocide, carried out for more than one century, made even more active since February 2022. In shaping national identity, history and culture play a pivotal role, cinema culture particularly. Ukraine’s own native cinema has been evolving for more than a century, aspiring to mirror urgent social issues, including those of preserving and developing national conscience, Historical cinema reveals the factors that have influenced the Ukrainian ethnos – ancient, agricultural, with its genetic code rooted in rural life.

Cinematography is part of public infrastructure, one of the ways of implementing historical policies, also reflecting social policies. The article surveys the cinematic display of the role and place of countryside in the policies of states existing at Ukrainian turf since the birth of cinema as such. Under Russian Tsarism – some attention to Ukrainian ethnography, defined foremost by country life. Next, the Soviet times marked with the collectivization of agriculture. Examples are given how political guidelines were implemented into country life, with particular attention to O. Dovzhenko’s film «Land». Contrary to prevailing victim moods, there are cases of cinematic demonstration of resistance exercised by Ukrainian peasants against the Bolshevik oppression. This only became possible in the independent Ukraine. Before that, many pages of its history have been distorted or made unavailable, among them the Holodomor, internationally recognized as genocide. The Holodomor is Ukraine’s core historic trauma. Still, there is historical evidence of its people’s resilience and vitality, where the grit of countryfolks met the glory of the brave Cossack nature.

1. Barker, І., & Steventon, А, &Deeny, S. R. (2017). Association between continuty of care in general practice and hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions : cross sectional study of routinely collected, personal level. British Medical Journal. No. 1 (356). P. 84. doi : 10.1136/ bmj.84 [In United Kingdom].
2. Fichera, E., Pezzino, M. (2017). Pay for performance and contractual choice: the case of general practitioners in England Health Econ. Rev. No. 7 (1). Р. 6. doi:10.1186/s13561-017-0142-x. 7. [In United Kingdom].
3. Smatana, М., &Pazitny, P., & Kandilaki, D. [еt al.] (2016) Slovakia: Health System Review Health Syst. Transit Systems in Transition No. 18 (6). Р. 1–210 [In Slovakia].
4. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. (2010). Deiaki pytannia udoskonalennia systemy okhorony zdorovia: Postanova vid 17.02.2010 No. 208 [Some issues of improving the healthcare system: Resolution of February 17, 2010 No. 208]. Upravlinnia zakladamy okhorony zdorovia, 69–72 [In Ukrainian].
5. Ministry of Health of Ukraine. (2022). Deiaki pytannia nadannia pervynnoi medychnoi dopomohy v umovakh voiennoho stanu: Nakaz vid 17.03.2022 No. 496 [Some issues of providing primary medical care under martial law: Order of March 17, 2022 No. 496]. URL: https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/rada/show/v0496282-22#Text [In Ukrainian].
6. Kashuba, Ya. M., Kimakovych, V. Y., & Paienok, M. S. (2010). Analiz ta perspektyvy rozvytku simeinoi medytsyny Lvivshchyny [Analysis and prospects for the development of family medicine in the Lviv region]. Lviv [In Ukrainian].
7. Kotsur, N. I., & Koshlakov, S. D. (2025). Osoblyvosti orhanizatsii simeinoi medytsyny v Ukraini v period rosiisko-ukrainskoi viiny [Peculiarities of the organization of family medicine in Ukraine during the Russian-Ukrainian war]. Modern science: trends, challenges, solutions: Proc. 1st Int. Sci. Conf.Liverpool: Cognum Publishing House, 182–189 [In Ukrainian].
8. Parii, V. D., & Korotkyi, O. V. (2018). Stanovlennia ta rozvytok pervynnoi medychnoi dopomohy na zasadakh zahalnoi praktyky – n simeinoi medytsyny v Ukraini: ohliad literaturnykh dzherel [Formation and development of primary medical care on the basis of general practice – family medicine in Ukraine: a review of literary sources]. Ukraina. Zdorovia natsii, (2), 48–53 [In Ukrainian].
9. Lytvyn, N. A., & Maksymovych, M. I. (2022). Aktualni problemy dostupu do medytsyny pid chas voiennoho stanu [Current problems of access to medicine during martial law]. Yurydychnyi naukovyi elektronnyi zhurnal, (9), 330–332 [In Ukrainian].
10. Simeina medytsyna pid chas viiny – navchannia ne spynyty![Family medicine during the war – learning cannot be stopped!]. URL: https://docacademy.com.ua/news/about-conf-9-12-22/ [In Ukrainian].
11. Tkachenko, V. I. (2015). Istoriia rozvytku ta suchasnyi stan pervynnoi medychnoi dopomohy za kordonom ta v Ukraini, normatyvno-pravova baza vprovadzhennia simeinoi medytsyny v Ukraini [History of development and current state of primary medical care abroad and in Ukraine, regulatory framework for the implementation of family medicine in Ukraine]. Simeina medytsyna, (3), 12–17 [In Ukrainian].
12. Yakovlieva, O. H. (2019). Osnovi shliakhy stanovlennia i rozvytku simeinoi medytsyny v Ukraini yak osnova reorhanizatsii pervynnoi medyko-sanitarnoi dopomohy naselenniu [Basic ways of formation and development of family medicine in Ukraine as a basis for reorganization of primary health care for the population]. Medsestrynstvo, (2), 16–21 [In Ukrainian].
13. Yaremchuk, O. V. (2018). Genezys simeinoi medytsyny ta perspektyvy ioho rozvytku na terenakh Ukraini [The genesis of family medicine and prospects for its development in Ukraine]. Investytsii: praktyka ta dosvid, (24), 130–134 [In Ukrainian].
14. Chukhriienko, N. D., Babinets, L. S., Sydorchuk, L. P. et al. (2010). Etapy stanovlennia Ukrainskoi asotsiatsii simeinoi medytsyny v Ukraini [Stages of formation of the Ukrainian Association of Family Medicine in Ukraine]. Naukovi innovatsii-v praktyku simeinoi medytsyny. Lviv: Mahnoliia 2006, 897–931 [In Ukrainian].
15. Shkala, L. V., & Levchenko, H. F. (2008). Simeina medytsyna. Zahalni polozhennia [Family medicine. General provisions]. Luhansk [In Ukrainian].