Mathieu Kassovitz, back from Ukraine after unveiling an artistic project there with the artist JR, appeared very moved on the set of BFMTV, this Thursday, March 17.
Twenty-two days ago, on February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin caused fear in Europe by launching a military offensive in Ukraine. Since the start of this war, fighting has raged in the country between Russian and Ukrainian soldiers. The Moscow strikes continue in several major cities, such as Mariupol, where a maternity hospital was affected, Kharkiv or even the capital, kyiv. Buildings containing civilians are bombarded, constantly increasing the toll of people injured or killed by its explosions. At the same time, millions of Ukrainians are also being forced to flee their attacked cities. Among them are children. And their fate upset Mathieu Kassovitz. The actor of Legends Office went to Lviva city located in western Ukraine, to unveil a giant mural created by artist JR in support of the Ukrainian people. Back in France, he couldn’t hold back his tears on the set of BFMTV, this Thursday, March 17, by telling his experience on the spot.
His father’s past
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“I am the son of a refugee, my father lived…“, began Mathieu Kassovitz, whose trembling voice wavered under the weight of emotion. In tears, the director only managed to pick up the thread of his speech after several seconds of moved silence. “My father lived 39/45, he was the age of these children [ukrainiens] when my grandparents were deported. He lived in the ghetto, he stood in line like that“, he described in front of the presenter Bruce Toussaint. “When they were released, he fled his country at 18, in 1956, when the Russians entered Hungary and threatened to kill everyone“, continued Mathieu Kassovitz, who then returned to his traumatic experience in Ukraine. “What I saw there… I’ve been working on the Apocalypse series for 15 years [une série documentaire sur la Seconde Guerre mondiale dont il a été le narrateur, NDLR]and I cannot see these images without having these returns from the past which are extremely violent images“, he lamented.
“I fear for my children”
Mathieu Kassovitz then confided how worrying the situation in Ukraine was, also admitting to having “fear for [ses] children“, Carmen, Ava and Max, but also “fear for the future of the planet“.”There, we are in a situation where we simply have children who have to be fed after three days of waiting, and it’s gonna get longer and longer, and it’s gonna get harder and harder“, he concluded, still overwhelmed with emotion.
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