News

May 23, 2011

ITALY – An Olympic production to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the FC Shakhtar Donetsk with Rihanna and Milla Jovovich

A ceremony created by the Olympic producer Marco Balich, president of the K-events/Filmmaster Group. The first event of its kind for a football club that set as its goal that of celebrating the team’s history, and to shape the future of football in Ukraine.

Marco Balich – one of the creators of the world’s most important events like the Olympic ceremonies in Turin in 2006 – had the task of creating a show that combines the past, present and future of the team in an Olympic-flavored mix of ingredients ranging from live performances to solemn moments, all enriched by special choreographic effects.

“It was an honor” – states Marco Balich – “to return to this stadium two years after the opening ceremony that K-events created for the Donbass Arena. We found a strong and proud spirit of a team that has a come a long way in the history of European football. Bringing to life an event of this nature is a majorly challenging production that we have been able to deal with thanks to the worldwide experience gained over time in the creation of high-profile events. We worked with the best choreographers, set and lighting designers in the world and involved 1,300 volunteers.”

An exciting show for 51,000 spectators, also attended by the President of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovich, and brought to life with ingredients of the great sporting ceremonies such as the mass choreography of 700 dancers who gave shape to a blooming garden in order to celebrate Donetsk, also known as the “city of roses”.

The event had, as a special guest, Milla Jovovich, the Ukrainian star who acted as godmother to the celebrations.

At the ceremony a giant inflatable player of 25 meters was made, it totaled 300 cubic feet of helium that sailed above the stadium before the grand finale: a concert by the international star Rihanna, followed by a fireworks display consisting of 7850 effects.

The K-events team, directed by Marco Balich and supported by Lida Castelli, has worked for more than 4 months with Bryn Walters Director Mise en Scène and Durham Marenghi Lighting Designer to create an event that will remain in the history of European sport.