Rebuilding Ukraine: French director Michel Hazanavicius leads restoration of house in Irpin destroyed by Russia

Because of director Michel Hazanavicius' fundraising efforts, a damaged apartment building in Irpin was rebuilt after the Russian occupation of the Kyiv region in March 2022.

The fundraising platform UNITED24 reported that.

What is the problem?

In March 2022, during the attack on the Kyiv region, Russian forces launched incendiary shells at building No. 42 on Davydchuk Street in Irpin. This caused significant damage to the building's water and electricity systems, the walls, and the roof, destroying all apartments on the fifth floor. Before the start of the war, this building was home to 60 families, many of whom had children.

What is the solution?

During his first visit to Kyiv in February 2023, Michel Hazanavicius, the Oscar-winning French film director, joined the UNITED24 ambassadors. He wasted no time announcing a fundraiser for restoring house #42 after his trip to Irpin. The collection for this house was already completed in June 2023.

How does it work?

Michel Hazanavicius organized a charity auction that helped collect a portion of the funds. Prominent figures, including Natalie Portman, Catherine Deneuve, Alain Delon, Tom Hanks, and Tom Bangalter, a member of the French duo Daft Punk, generously donated items. With the combined efforts of Hazanavicius and the donors, UNITED24 provided housing for 325 residents.

"Many people who fled the war from Luhansk and Donetsk regions in 2014 lived in our house. In March 2022, they lost everything again. Due to Russian shelling, the roof was destroyed, all apartments on the fifth floor burned down, and shells and grenades damaged other apartments. There was even a question: restoring or demolishing the section. But thanks to caring people, the UNITED24 congregation, and Michel Hazanavicius, the house was restored. The residents are coming back, the house is coming alive, and children are once again running around happily and playing," resident Olena noted.

For reference:

The Ukrainian President has introduced a fundraising website called UNITED24 to serve as the leading platform for collecting donations to support Ukraine. Since its introduction, the platform has received contributions from over 110 countries, resulting in a final sum of $328 million by the end of the year.

UNITED24 ambassadors include singer and actress Barbra Streisand, actor Mark Hamill, Canadian actress Katheryn Winnick, music band Imagine Dragons, art director of Balenciaga Demna, American actor Liev Schreiber, director Michel Hazanavicius, astronaut Scott Kelly, historian Timothy Snyder, philosopher Francis Fukuyama, Nobel laureates awards Paul Nurse, Edward Moser and May-Britt Moser, actress Ivanna Sahno, British businessman Richard Branson, country singer Brad Paisley, British traveler Bear Grylls, prominent Ukrainian athletes Andriy Shevchenko, Elina Svitolina and Oleksandr Usyk.

It should be noted that the American actor and director Misha Collins became the ambassador of United24 in the direction of "Humanitarian demining."

In addition, Hollywood actor and United24 ambassador Mark Hamill, known for his role as Luke Skywalker in "Star Wars," raised more than $1.5 million for drones for the Armed Forces.