On 26 September, the outstanding Latvian director Janis Strejč celebrated his 87th birthday. In Ukraine, he is known primarily for his film The Theatre, starring Vija Artmane, and the director himself played the role of the author. However, his oeuvre includes many wonderful works. Human Child was the first Latvian film to be nominated for an Academy Award. His films My Friend Is Not a Serious Man and Limousine the Colour of White Night are regularly screened in Latvia during public holidays and remain popular. In 2010, the director ended his career with Rudolf's Legacy and returned to painting. He continues to delight his fans, as his paintings on canvas are no less wonderful than his films.

The outbreak of a full-scale war, which turned the lives of millions of Ukrainians upside down, also disturbed Janis Stracz's heart. The director notes that what is happening in Ukraine concerns him personally. His memories go back to a period of important historical events: the Soviet army's attempt to suppress Lithuanian independence in 1991.

Recalling his feelings on the morning of 24 February 2022, Janis Streich compares them to the disturbing night in January 1991, adding that he had once again experienced something incredible and crazy. He stressed that the world is on the verge of great changes and expressed his belief that everything that is happening is the end of the empire. The director emphasises that for many years the concept of "Ukraine" was disguised by the empire as "almost the same Russia". the Russian Federation did the same with other countries of the Soviet Union for years, depriving them of their culture, language and history, and stripping them of their identity. The same thing happened to Lithuania.

Janis Streich's perception of Lithuania changed when he first learned about the country's great history and ancient dynasty of kings as a student. His opinion about Ukraine was formed through his work in cinema, after making a film about the war in Chernihiv region. It was there, in 1986, that he learned about the Holodomor, and it shocked the director.  Later he told his friends about it, and they were surprised to hear about it for the first time. 

Janis Streich has preserved his memories of the beauty of Ukrainian nature, its unique beautiful sky. He still feels shocked because the places where he shot his films are now experiencing a real war, and the sky is full of the sounds of explosions. He emphasises that since 24 February, Ukraine has become the main topic for him and his family. Moreover, Ukraine has become a discovery for the whole world. Because it has established itself with blood. Janis Streich is sure: "If something is based on shed blood, then it is a very strong, powerful sprout for the future. This is the birth of a great state. Precisely because of the blood. As someone said... How do you create a new religion? It is very simple to let yourself be crucified on a cross and rise from the dead on the third day. This is exactly what is happening to Ukraine now." 

For the director, the war in Ukraine was not only a trigger that resurrected the disturbing memories of the January night. For him, Ukraine, baptised in the fires of war, has become a symbol of rebirth, a reminder of the powerful ability of a freedom-loving people to change and create something new, even in the most difficult circumstances.