Away from the glare of the festival, a Ukrainian rebuilds life in Cannes

When Lesia Bilotserkovets and her family evacuated Kyiv by automobile at the outset of the Ukrainian conflict, her father objected to the size of her luggage, which was packed with winter apparel.

The 24-year-old had no idea she’d wind herself on the French Riviera in Cannes.

‘Papa, I don’t know where I’m going, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be there,’ remarked Bilotserkovets.

Three months later, she is settling into a new position at a hotel in Cannes, which is rolling out the red carpet for its annual film festival this month.

A French family she had assisted as an interpreter in Ukraine gave her a place to stay.

The Ukraine conflict has loomed big over the festival, with official Russian delegations barred, the opening ceremony featuring a statement by Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, and the role of cultural boycotts a recurring subject.

The splendour of the event is a world away from what Bilotserkovets left behind.

She described herself as being in a parallel reality. She also stated that she does not share about her life in France on social media out of respect for others who are in similar situations… Reuters