Bachennya metelyka

I watched this movie in the cinema in Ukraine with a friend. We were lucky to be the only ones in the audience because we happened to be there at an early hour on Saturday. It made the experience surreal but the movie itself was very real indeed. The context of social media, reporters and old rooms of the hospital made the scenes life-like - I truly believe that this story happened and many more stories like this are happening right now to the very real people in Ukraine this very moment.

Many things are silent, given as hints. The silence made them even more powerful. It highlighted the horror of war and what the main character has gone through.

I applaud to the work of people on this film, as it was masterful in its production. I loved how costumes made the characters feel like people I see and meet everyday. I look like that too. The actors were so genius - more often than not I forgot that I am sitting before a big screen and felt like I was peeking through at someone's life. The people on screen were real. It was their life I was watching and it was truly heartbreaking.

I wouldn't call the ending of the movie happy or hopeful or good, but it was right. For that I am immensely thankful and recommend this movie to all and everybody. Thank you for this artwork!

When I came across this film it felt like a duty to watch it. For someone living in England, it's hard to understand all the themes. Lilya's husband Tokha is involved with some sort of vigilante group, attacking a Roma population, but exactly how this fits into their society isn't something I understand, so parts of the story can easily go over your head.

We can all follow the central theme though, of Lilya's return and struggle to find a place back in society. What we see most keenly is how the war affects not just those directly involved, but the whole society.

My score of 7 doesn't really mean that much. It's a film you should watch if you get the chance.