VIJFHUIZEN, Netherlands (AP) — Grieving families recited the names and ages Wednesday of all 298 passengers and crew killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine 10 years ago, as they marked the anniversary of the tragedy at a solemn ceremony near Amsterdam.
The relatives, some weeping or choking back tears, named brothers, sisters, parents, grandchildren, grandparents nieces and nephews in a litany of lost lives that lasted 30 minutes.
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Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, center, attends the commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Relatives and guests attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
People lay flowers in memory of killed passengers at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 near the village of Hrabove, in Russian-controlled Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine have gathered with officials at Australia's Parliament House to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo)
Flowers and toys put at a symbolic place in memory of killed passengers at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 near the village of Hrabove, in Russian-controlled Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine have gathered with officials at Australia's Parliament House to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo)
Relatives and guests attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Dutch King Willem Alexander, left, arrives with Piet Ploeg, to attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Relatives and guests attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Relatives and guests attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Dutch King Willem Alexander, left, together with Piet Ploeg, lay flowers during the commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
FILE - Dutch military police stand next to parts of the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, displayed in a hangar at Gilze-Rijen airbase, Netherlands, on March 3, 2015. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
FILE - Presiding judge Hendrik Steenhuis, right, and other trial judges and lawyers view the reconstructed wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, at the Gilze-Rijen military airbase, southern , Netherlands, on May 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool, File)
FILE - A pro-Russian rebel touches the MH17 wreckage at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, near the village of Hrabove, eastern Ukraine, on July 22, 2014. 298 people were killed as a Soviet-era Buk surface-to-air rocket launched from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels destroyed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. A 10-year commemoration ceremony at a monument near Schiphol, the airport the doomed flight left on its way to Kuala Lumpur will be held on July 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
FILE - Russia-backed separatist APC rides by an Orthodox cross with a sign reading Save and Guard, with a memorial to the victims of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 plane crash, near the village of Hrabove, eastern Ukraine, on July 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov, File)
FILE - Relatives walk along 298 empty chairs, each chair for one of the 298 victims of the downed Malaysia Air flight MH17, are placed in a park opposite the Russian embassy in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
FILE - The sky is reflected in the national MH17 monument which carries the names of the victims of the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, on March 6, 2020. 298 people were killed as a Soviet-era Buk surface-to-air rocket launched from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels destroyed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. A 10-year commemoration ceremony at a monument near Schiphol, the airport the doomed flight left on its way to Kuala Lumpur will be held on July 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine embrace after placing a wreath as they gather with officials at Australia's Parliament House in Canberra Wednesday, July 17, 2024, to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine gather with officials at Australia's Parliament House in Canberra Wednesday, July 17, 2024, to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine place a wreath as they gather with officials at Australia's Parliament House in Canberra Wednesday, July 17, 2024, to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
“It's a black day,” said Evert van Zijtveld, who lost his daughter and son, Frederique, 19, and Robert-Jan, 18, along with their grandparents.
“What’s very important is that we mentioned the name of the loved ones ... and it’s very important that we remember them,” he added.
An international investigation concluded that the Buk missile system that destroyed MH17 belonged to the Russian 53rd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade and was fired from territory controlled by pro-Moscow separatists. The investigation concluded the missile launcher was driven into Ukraine from a Russian military base near the city of Kursk and returned there after the plane was shot down.
Moscow has repeatedly denied responsibility. In 2022, a Dutch court convicted in absentia two Russians and a Ukrainian separatist for their role in the jet’s downing.
“Although the court formally found Russian puppets guilty, the Kremlin authorities led by Putin and his accomplices are behind this crime,” Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement published on Facebook.
Commemoration services took place Wednesday in the Netherlands, Australia and the site of the crash in the Russia-controlled part of the Donetsk region, as the war in Ukraine raged on.
Hundreds of family members were joined by Dutch King Willem-Alexander, politicians and diplomats at a memorial in the Netherlands close to Schiphol, the airport the Kuala Lumpur-bound Boeing 777 departed from on July 17, 2014.
Australian Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus represented his country at the Dutch memorial site, where 298 trees commemorate each victim.
“Today we remain unwavering in our determination to ensure truth, justice and accountability for the victims and their loved ones,” Dreyfus said.
Many of the families carried sunflowers like those that grew at the scene of the crash, and laid them next to trees. Flags of the countries that lost citizens hung at half-staff next to a field of blooming sunflowers.
Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof pledged to keep up the fight to hold accountable those responsible.
“And I know it too: justice takes time,” he said. “But we have the time. And the patience. And the perseverance. That is my message to the guilty parties, and my promise to you.”
The ceremony in Australia was held at the Parliament House in Canberra.
“I don’t think anyone intended to bring down a passenger plane. So in that sense, I’m heartbroken that the (Ukraine) conflict continues,” Paul Guard told Australian Broadcasting Corp. His parents, Roger and Jill Guard were among 38 Australian citizens and permanent residents killed.
“But I think that a lot of families would really have just liked an acknowledgment that what happened was wrong and that Russia should not have been waging war,” the son added.
Russia continues to be pursued under international law by the Netherlands in the European Court of Human Rights and by Australia and the Netherlands jointly through the International Civil Aviation Organization Council, or ICAO, over its alleged role in bringing down MH17.
Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong told Wednesday’s service in Canberra that she was “appalled” that Russia had withdrawn from the ICAO proceedings in June.
“The case will continue and we will not be deterred in our commitment to hold Russia to account,” Wong told the gathering.
At the crash site in the village of Hrabov, several dozen local residents brought flowers, stuffed animals and even a model airplane to a small memorial stone installed in a field near where some of the wreckage was found. Some struggled to hold back tears, recalling the explosion that shattered windows in their homes and bodies falling from the sky. “It hurts,” one woman said. “I feel sorry for the people."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov refused to comment on Wong’s remarks, reiterating that Moscow’s position on the matter is “well known.” He said: “No arguments from the Russian side were taken into account, we did not participate in the investigation, and therefore our attitude to these conclusions is well known.”
The Netherlands was home to 196 of the victims while 38 hailed from Australia. Victims also came from Malaysia, Indonesia, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Germany, the Philippines, Canada, New Zealand, Vietnam, Israel, Italy, Romania, the United States and South Africa.
Malaysia also reiterated its commitment to seek justice and hold those responsible for the tragedy accountable.
“The Government of Malaysia is resolute that the process must pursue truth, justice and accountability,” the transport ministry said in a statement.
McGuirk reported from Melbourne, Australia.
Former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, center, attends the commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Relatives and guests attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
People lay flowers in memory of killed passengers at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 near the village of Hrabove, in Russian-controlled Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine have gathered with officials at Australia's Parliament House to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo)
Flowers and toys put at a symbolic place in memory of killed passengers at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 near the village of Hrabove, in Russian-controlled Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine have gathered with officials at Australia's Parliament House to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (AP Photo)
Relatives and guests attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Dutch King Willem Alexander, left, arrives with Piet Ploeg, to attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Relatives and guests attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Relatives and guests attend a commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
Dutch King Willem Alexander, left, together with Piet Ploeg, lay flowers during the commemoration at the national monument in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, Wednesday July 17, 2024, to mark the tenth anniversary of the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine, which killed all 298 people on board. (AP Photo/Phil Nijhuis)
FILE - Dutch military police stand next to parts of the wreckage of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, displayed in a hangar at Gilze-Rijen airbase, Netherlands, on March 3, 2015. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
FILE - Presiding judge Hendrik Steenhuis, right, and other trial judges and lawyers view the reconstructed wreckage of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, at the Gilze-Rijen military airbase, southern , Netherlands, on May 26, 2021. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, Pool, File)
FILE - A pro-Russian rebel touches the MH17 wreckage at the crash site of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17, near the village of Hrabove, eastern Ukraine, on July 22, 2014. 298 people were killed as a Soviet-era Buk surface-to-air rocket launched from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels destroyed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. A 10-year commemoration ceremony at a monument near Schiphol, the airport the doomed flight left on its way to Kuala Lumpur will be held on July 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda, File)
FILE - Russia-backed separatist APC rides by an Orthodox cross with a sign reading Save and Guard, with a memorial to the victims of the Malaysian Airlines MH17 plane crash, near the village of Hrabove, eastern Ukraine, on July 16, 2015. (AP Photo/Mstyslav Chernov, File)
FILE - Relatives walk along 298 empty chairs, each chair for one of the 298 victims of the downed Malaysia Air flight MH17, are placed in a park opposite the Russian embassy in The Hague, Netherlands, on March 8, 2020. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
FILE - The sky is reflected in the national MH17 monument which carries the names of the victims of the downed Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in Vijfhuizen, Netherlands, on March 6, 2020. 298 people were killed as a Soviet-era Buk surface-to-air rocket launched from territory in eastern Ukraine controlled by pro-Russian rebels destroyed Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17. A 10-year commemoration ceremony at a monument near Schiphol, the airport the doomed flight left on its way to Kuala Lumpur will be held on July 17, 2014. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine embrace after placing a wreath as they gather with officials at Australia's Parliament House in Canberra Wednesday, July 17, 2024, to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine gather with officials at Australia's Parliament House in Canberra Wednesday, July 17, 2024, to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
Relatives of passengers killed when Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down over Ukraine place a wreath as they gather with officials at Australia's Parliament House in Canberra Wednesday, July 17, 2024, to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragedy that claimed 298 lives. (Mick Tsikas/AAP Image via AP)
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — As many in the entertainment industry navigate the devastating effects of the California wildfires, some will soon be decamping to cleaner air in the mountains. The annual Sundance Film Festival begins Thursday in Park City, Utah.
The 41st edition of Robert Redford’s brainchild will, as always, be a year of discovery and discussion. There are timely films:
— “Free Leonard Peltier,” which will premiere just days after former President Joe Biden commuted the sentence of the Indigenous activist nearly half a century after he was imprisoned for the 1975 killings of two FBI agents.
— Oscar-winner Mstyslav Chernov’s“2000 Meters to Andriivka,” a joint production between The Associated Press and Frontline about an attempt to liberate an occupied territory in Ukraine
— Several films about trans rights including “Heightened Scrutiny,” about civil rights lawyer Chase Strangio. It's a topic even more pressing after President Donald Trump signed executive orders Monday rolling back protections for transgender people.
There are even some controversies brewing: “The Stringer,” from documentary filmmaker Bao Nguyen, calls into question who took the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Napalm Girl” photograph. Retired AP photographer Nick Ut and the AP, which conducted a six-month investigation into the allegation, are contesting it vigorously and lawyers have asked for it to be pulled from the program.
“The film is an investigation,” said Eugene Hernandez, the director of the festival, who is moving forward with plans to screen it. “I think it will be a really important conversation that will come out over the next few days after the film is seen by more people.”
Don’t worry, it’s not all heavy. There’s drama of course, even a film about starting over after a fire (“Rebuilding,” with Josh O’Connor), horror, satire, literary adaptations, comedy, documentaries about famous faces, and some that simply defy categorization.
“There’s some really funny stuff in the program,” Hernandez said. One of those Hernandez cited is “Bubble & Squeak,” about a married couple accused of smuggling cabbages into a nation where they’re banned.
For first time filmmakers, Sundance can be their chance to break through in a big way. That happened last year for “Dìdi” filmmaker Sean Wang. Some films that debuted last January are still in the awards conversation, like “A Real Pain” and “A Different Man.” For actors, the festival is both a casual respite to awards season glitz (snow boots are more likely on red carpets than high heels) and can be a chance to show audiences a new dimension of their talent.
“It’s a strong year of renewal for our artist community,” Hernandez said. “And we have a lot of really great voices and stories that we get to unveil in the coming days.”
Here’s everything you need to know:
Sundance runs from Jan. 23 through Feb. 2. There are about 90 features premiering across the 11 days, with screenings starting early in the morning through midnight. Award-winners will be announced on Jan. 31.
Stars with films premiering include Jennifer Lopez, Benedict Cumberbatch, Diego Luna, Conan O’Brien, Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Ayo Edebiri, Olivia Colman, André Holland, Steven Yeun, Mark Ruffalo, Bowen Yang, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Lily Gladstone, Dev Patel, Emily Watson, John Lithgow, Marlee Matlin, John Malkovich, Rose Byrne, Chloë Sevigny, Josh O’Connor, Ben Whishaw, Dylan O’Brien, Lili Reinhart and Willem Dafoe.
One of the greatest things about Sundance is that it’s often the under-the-radar movies that become the breakouts.
But some of the higher-profile premieres going into the festival include: Bill Condon’s “Kiss of the Spider-Woman,” starring Lopez; Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson’s documentary “SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius)”; “Opus,” a horror about the cult of celebrity with Edebiri and John Malkovich; Andrew Ahn’s “The Wedding Banquet,” with Bowen Yang and Kelly Marie Tran; the war satire “Atropia,” with Alia Shawkat; “Pee-wee as Himself,” about the late Paul Reubens; “Marlee Matlin: Not Alone Anymore”; and Andrew Jarecki and Charlotte Kaufman’s doc “The Alabama Solution,” about a cover-up in one of America’s most notorious prison systems.
Festival organizers have been in dialogue with filmmakers, staff, audiences and donors about the effects of the fires, supporting and accommodating where possible including pushing back deadlines to allow filmmakers more time to finish. The festival will also have a QR code displayed before screenings for information on sharing resources or contributing to relief efforts.
“As hard as the last week has been, this will be a moment to come together,” Hernandez said. “The community’s really responding to support those who need it most right now. I think that’s going to be a profound aspect of this year’s festival.”
For the most part, yes. Starting in 2027 the festival will no longer be primarily based in Park City. It may stay in Utah but would operate mainly out of Salt Lake City. Other finalists are Boulder, Colorado, and Cincinnati, Ohio. The Sundance Institute is expected to announce its final decision in the first quarter of 2025.
“Park City as the home of Sundance is such a special place,” Hernandez said. “I look at it optimistically because we have two more exciting years in this current configuration. I think we’re going to make the most of those two years and make them as memorable and meaningful as we can.”
Access to the movies premiering at Sundance doesn’t necessary require an expensive trip to Park City anymore. The festival has fully embraced an online component for many of their films.
What started as a necessary COVID-19 adjustment has become a vital part of the program. From Jan. 30 through Feb. 2, audiences can stream much of the program online. Prices start at $35 for a single film ticket and go up to $800 for unlimited access.
Otherwise, films that secure distribution can take anywhere from a few weeks to over a year to hit theaters or streaming services. Steven Soderbergh's “Presence,” which premiered last January, is just hitting theaters this week.
For more coverage of the 2025 Sundance Film Festival visit: https://apnews.com/hub/sundance-film-festival
The marquee of the Egyptian Theatre is shown Thursday, Jan. 28, 2021, in Park City, Utah. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)