Hello! I’m Olha Sumska, a Ukrainian actress. For the Made in Ukraine project, I chose our family photo album, which is over 50 years old. I was born into a family of actors in Lviv. This is the well-known Sumska acting dynasty — my father, Viacheslav Sumskiy, and my mother, Hanna Sumska, dedicated their entire lives to the Ukrainian theatre. Each photo in this album captures incredible moments from my happy childhood.
I played my first role at the age of five. It was in the play Jennie Gerhardt based on the novel by Theodore Dreiser, where my fantastic and talented parents played the leading roles. I remember every moment, even though I was just a little girl. Here is my first premiere, and here I am with my parents at a rehearsal… In these photos, we’re gathered around the New Year’s festive table in Zaporizhzhia, here’s School No. 1 where I studied, and here we are fishing with my father on Khortytsia Island…
These photos truly convey the atmosphere of that time. My father was passionate about photography — he took the pictures himself, then developed the film and printed beautiful black-and-white photographs. It was real magic, and that’s why we have a whole collection of such albums. For me, they are far more meaningful and full of warmth and energy than modern digital photos on a phone. You can hold these albums close to your heart, close your eyes, and dive into that time, filled with joy and love. These are my most treasured heirlooms.