Olga

What's one to do when caught between the fulfillment of personal achievement or taking a stand for a larger cause? What's more, what's one to do when the available choices are compounded by complications that make it difficult to decide and subsequently act? Such is the conundrum for a talented 15-year-old gymnast who's the daughter of a Ukrainian mother and a Swiss father while she trains for the 2014 European Championships in Switzerland as the deadly Maidan Revolt rages in her homeland. Should she remain afar and continue with her training, or should she return to Ukraine to join the fight with her investigative journalist mother and activist best friend/former teammate? It's a lot to consider for someone of any age, but, for a gifted adolescent, it's an exceedingly exasperating choice, especially when she's also forced to address the additional issues of jealous teammates, injury and deciding which country to devote her loyalty. Writer-director Elie Grappe's debut feature walks a perilous, tension-filled tightrope in telling a taut, compelling story that successfully fuses the political thriller and sports drama genres, featuring a superb lead performance by former Ukrainian gymnast Anastasia Budiashkina. Admittedly, there are a few under-explained gaps in the narrative that detract from the flow of the story, and some of the atmospheric cinematography definitely could have been improved upon. However, when it comes to the elements that matter most, it's easy to see how this offering captured the SACD Prize at the 2021 Cannes Critics' Week and also earned nominations for the film festival's Golden Camera Award and Critics' Week Grand Prize. "Olga" may not have attracted a lot of attention in its initial theatrical release, but it should have and definitely deserves to now that it's available for streaming. Give it a look - you won't be disappointed.

I write this review on the second anniversary of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

For those wanting some background information about Ukraine the following films are recommended:

"The Kyiv files" (2023, Walter Stokman) about the Soviet era "Olga" (2021, Elie Grappe) about the 2014 Revolution of Dignity or Maidan revolution "Donbass" (2018, Sergey Loznitsa) about the occupation of the Donbass by Russian backed separatists before the invasion.

"Olga" is about a mother - daughter relationship. The daughter is a gymnast on a training camp in Switzerland (the country of her deceased father). The mother is a journalist in Ukraine reporting on the revolution on the Maidan square.

The relationship between mother and daughter is sometimes a little tense. The daughter blames her mother for a lack of support now that she is training for such important competitions. The mother blames her daughter for too much focus on gymnastics. There are other important things now that her homecountry stands at a crossroad in history.

Despite these tensions the love between mother and daughter is never subject to any doubt. Besides the accusation that the daughter is only thinking about gymanastics is simply not true. Yes she is very determined to make a good performance at the upcoming events, but at the same time you can see the pressure she is under and the way she is torned between two loyalties (her sport and her home country) when she is training in solitude.

The movie uses different camera perspectives for the scenes of Olga training on her own (close up) and Olga training with the other girls (overview shots). Apart from the relationship with her mother the relationship with the other girls is a second theme in "Olga". Also this relatoinship has two faces, as the girls are both colleagues and competitors.

The movie has a strong documentary flavor. This applies to both the Ukraine and Swiss scenes. The Ukraine scenes contain archive material from the Maidan square revolution. The Swiss scenes are dominated by non professional actresses as few professional actresses have the required gymnastic skills.

This film has been getting a bit more attention due to the obvious issues in Ukraine, however this movie doesn't exactly do much in the way of explaining the background to the conflict.

Olga tells the story of a promising gymnast who is taken on by the Swiss national team, due to her fathers heritage. At the same time events in Ukraine are spiralling out of control with Olgas mother at the heart of events as she is a journalist working to expose corruption in the regime which is being resisted by the people. The focus on the film is Olga trying to remain focused while events at home are threatening to derail her opportunities.

While this is a watchable film and the gymnastic aspect is represented very well, the lead is quite inexpressive, its very hard to read into any emotions. Which is an issue as that is what the film is about. Its hard to tell if this was a gymnast trying her hand at acting or vice versa. This is also not a particularly dialogue heavy film, so without much in terms of emotions on display and little wording, its all a bit vague. Also without more in depth background to the conflict there isn't really much to hang your hat on emotionally. The fact is the only reason this is getting the attention it is, is down to the invasion. Its watchable enough if a little vacuous.

A beautifully crafted piece, with a stunning young Ukrainian gymnast actor doing by the way some stunning moves, alongside a number of not so well filled-out characters, that speaks to the tragic political situation & to an extent the condition of any teenager seeking to find a place in the world. It's hard not to be sympathetic with the character, but I dare say the movie is more craft, propaganda even, than approaching great art, but it remains extremely touching and beautifully photographed. Much use is made of real-world chaotic news footage, sometimes cleverly superimposed on the quiet Swiss scenery of well furnished gymnasiums and perfect chocolate box scenery. One goes on a perilous journey in the eyes of the young woman and the young emancipated nation and throughout I kept thinking 'how is this possibly going to end well?'... A short and optimistic coda supplies an element of balm on the existential ache.

I am watching this film whilst the Ukrainian war explodes in the east of Europe and millions of Ukranian refugees spread over Western Europe. So this young woman's odyssey is totally in the "mood" of this tragic era, period. This is mostly a film about sport, training, dedication, gymnastics in particular, as LES PAUMES BLANCHES were fifteen years ago; another movie speaking of a young male gymnast in Bulgary or some easter europe country and his relationship with his trainer. I also saw NADIA, an American film about Nadia Comaneci's story. This film which I comment now is accurate, gripping and made by a director very involved, concerned by his topic.