They Who Surround Us

If you've never lived n the prairies, you are in for a full tour. The footage of fields and farms and small town Ukrainian Canadian prairie life in the late 80's is stunning and full of reminisce. The story is both a classic family history for many of the Ukrainian diaspora and a story of personal tragedy. A stand out is the actress playing the aunt- her looks speak moe than words. It is a moving and beautiful film telling a unique Ukrainian Canadian story.

Half hour in and there is no plot, no character dynamics, and dragged out scenes. When are Canadians going to stop producing crap films like this? If you are suffering from insomnia, this film is a sure cure.

I got to watch They Who Surround Us when it played in Toronto in September 2021.

On the surface it is a simple story of the repercussions of a death on a family but there is much more below the surface.

The setting & culture, (Ukrainian Canadians in Alberta in the 80's) is something I haven't seen in film before.

The cinematography, especially in the flashbacks is hauntingly beautiful & reminiscent of the Andrei Tarkovsky films I have seen & loved.

The story unravels slowly & subtly & waits until the end to connect all the dots in the different timelines.

I & my family, including my 11 year old, really enjoyed it.

So, full disclosure here - I am the composer on this film, and in response to what appears to be an almost vengeful review below, which lacks both a nuanced understanding of the film and any sort of authority that would convey the writer knows what he is talking about - here is what the genius Canadian filmmaker Atom Egoyan had to say:

'A sensitive and complex study of grief, as it filters through a family and echoes in historic memory. Centred on a riveting performance by Troy Ruptash, who makes his directorial debut with this ambitious film.'

I think I'll trust Atom Egoyan's opinion on this, and the many many audience members across Canada who have written and expressed how deeply moved they have been by this film.

No swearing, no violence, no gory scenes...it can be done. I really liked this movie. I may be a little biased being that my ancestors are from Ukraine. I base whether a drama is good or bad, on how much I had an emotional attachment to the main character, and I did... very much. It is slow moving, but I really didn't mind.