This article offers a survey of the historical-cognitive cinema in Ukrainian cinematography during the independence period. The author focuses on both thematic diversity of films, and philosophical, hermeneutic, psychoanalytic possibilities and demand of their thorough study. Indicated that, chronicle-documentary and popular science films of Ukraine during the independence period inherent mapping of historical development of the state and the Ukrainian people, social problems, and understanding the legal framework of Ukrainians. The article deals with the features of cinematography among other means of mass communication in the context of its influence on the mass consciousness. The tendencies of Ukrainian cinema as a distinctive genre in the field of directorial and acting art are analyzed. The process of formation of the national school of cinema during the Independence period is shown, and its activity with the work of directors of the previous Soviet period in the history of Ukrainian cinema art is compared. The contribution of Ukrainian actors of the theater and cinema, artists, scriptwriters and directors to the development of massive cinema playing during the independence period. As an example of the development of Ukrainian cinema, the trends of the historical – cognitive cinema during the Independence period were analyzed, on the basis of which the features of the country's exhibit in elite circles were determined.