Bitcoin and New Ukrainian cinema

On the photo - Successful crypto-investor from "Just Sex, Nothing Personal" movie

Many people in Ukraine who have no connection to blockchain and cryptocurrency area, are aware about Bitcoin. One time I was returning from crypto-conference abroad and when taxi driver asked me where I've been, it happened he is also Bitcoin enthusiast and a trader. I also know a barman-trader, who is working full time in a bar and trades in a free time (and even had some kind of a fund). So no wonder that topic of Bitcoin entered many areas of life, especially art and creative industries, and in this short article I will focus on cinema.

Ukrainian cinema nowadays has its Revival. Many films are created, from different genres and for different audiences, and now we see that Ukrainian movies are more viewed in cinemas, while in past cinema-market was dominated by Hollywood blockbusters and Russian shitmovies. Some films win prizes at international festivals.

While the quantity of films is still much smaller than in other countries, I know at least 3 films which mention Bitcoin topic.

Just Sex, Nothing Personal

Genre: Comedy
Release date: December 20, 2018
Director: Olga Ryashina
Production company: Star Media

In the beginning of the film, girlfriend leaves Serhii, the main hero of the film, saying that he is "just an accountant". - "But I also deal with crypto" - he responds, but this doesn't affect her decision as she claims that he is complete 0 in sex.
Serhii goes to Prague for New Year to visit his friend, and meats a strip-dancer in a club, then falls in love with her. His ex-girlfriend was humiliating him in past, but as the time passes, somebody asked her if she saw the price of Bitcoin. She checks the price and understands how rich is her ex-boyfriend now, so she decided to return him and marry.
Even though Bitcoin is small episode in this film, it's not even depicted in trailer, but it really shapes the whole story.
Taking to account date of release, it could be real story a year before in 2017.
We don't know if Serhii made millions or just some smaller amount, but it's enough to implement into life dream of his new girlfried ex-strip-dancer, to start a restaurant-cafe in her home city Lviv in Ukraine.

Foxter & Max

Genre: Comedy for children
Initial release: September 19, 2019
Director: Anatoli Mateshko

Timid 12-year-old schoolboy Max finds a can of nano-paint, and draws graffiti - dog. Unexpectedly drawn graffiti comes to life and turns into a nanorobot with super powers - a combination of biotech and AI. This nano-dog Foxter helps Max in life, but both of them are hunted by a dangerous criminal who wants to take possession of this powerful technology in order to mine cryptocurrency and hack, withdraw cryptocurrencies from others' accounts to his. Well, as usually in comedies - there is happy end.

Nightmare Director, or School # 5

Genre: Comedy
Release date: October 31, 2018 (Ukraine)
Director: Mila Pogrebiska

The story is about ex-prison manager who in order to return to his previous job has a challenge to be director at problematic school. Unlike first 2 films I didn't watch it, as it was in cinemas not for a long time.
But Bitcoin topic is mentioned in trailer.

At 00:55 you can see the criminal who is asking:
-- What is Bitcoin, do you know?
-- Yes, composer
So this short dialogue references to the popular joke (hard to say does this joke has more truth or joke in it) when people mix Bitcoin with Beethoven, music composer. (Well of course now in certain communities people know what is Bitcoin, but don't know who is Ludwig van Beethoven)
Then (at 00:59) criminal asks "Did you mine a lot already" and we see a torture scene.

All 3 films are very recent - this year and previous, and of course there might be other films which I'm not aware about. Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies will be depicted more and more in the mass culture. And this is just one more small proof of it.