The Stone That Spoke

Part of Refugee Week 2025 at Depot

An evening of short film screenings as part of Refugee Week, featuring discussions with the creative team: Lidiia Khramenkova and Viktoriia Khruslova, who feature in the films, will explore project themes including what becomes important to hold onto during life in changing times, along with co-directors Gail Borrow (installation, theatre) and Rod Morris (film, photography)

Funded by Homes for Ukraine and supported by EUNIC London

Four Ukrainian women hold stones that are portals to intrepid female travellers who crossed Europe 1000 years ago.

The Ukrainian women, relocated to East Sussex today due to the war, explore a generation of trailblazing, decision-making eleventh-century female travellers whose lives mirror their own.
Four exquisite films filmed at stunning Sussex heritage sites connect Catherine, Elizabeth, Lidiia, and Viktoriia to Kievan Rus sisters Anastasia, Anne and Elisiv who became the queens of modern day France, Hungary and Norway (with further links to Austria, Germany and Poland) and Gytha of Wessex, the woman who travelled in the other direction to Kyiv when her father, King Harold of England, was killed in 1066.

Elizabeth exploring Anastasia

Elizabeth Isadora holds an ironstone at the cliffs of Hastings. She considers the stones that connected with Anastasia of Kyiv’s feet in what is now Austria, Germany and Hungary where she was queen.

Viktoriia exploring Anne

Viktoriia Khruslova holds a round stone at Pevensey Castle. She channels Anne of Kyiv who trod a path from the Great Gate of Kyiv to Reims Cathedral where she became Queen of France.

Catherine exploring Elisiv

Catherine Rajhans holds a banded flint at the cliffs of Hastings. She thinks of Elisiv of Kyiv who was Queen of Norway and might have become Queen of England if her husband, Harald, had not been defeated at Stamford Bridge in 1066.

Lidiia exploring Gytha

Lidiia Khramenkova takes a heart-shaped pebble found on the Sussex shore to Battle Abbey. At this medieval site, she reflects on Gytha of Wessex’s flight out of England when her father, King Harold, was defeated in the 1066 battle. Gytha headed to Denmark and then across Europe to where Anastasia, Anne and Elisiv were born: Kyiv.

Photo credit: Viktoriia Khruslova by co-director, filmmaker and photographer Rod Morris