Top Ukrainian Films to Watch: A Curated List by September
Films to Help You Relax
Discover a collection of Ukrainian films that offer relaxation, highlight important themes, and teach history. Here are some must-watch movies:
Catch Kaidash
This 2020 Ukrainian series is based on Ivan Nechuy-Levytsky’s work “Kaidash Family.” The events unfold chronologically from 2005 to 2014, spanning a decade in independent Ukraine. The plot is filled with dramatic confrontations among family members, culminating in 2014 when the family is divided by their attitudes towards Maidan. The series is a blend of humor, drama, and human relationships. It’s a great watch if you want to distract yourself, feel inspired, and simply relax.
We Are. We Are Near
A drama filled with history, meaning, love, and relationships. This film addresses important topics worth discussing. It’s a story of restoration. The main character, Oleksiy, is a surgeon who loses his godson during an operation. Consumed by guilt, he leaves his job and wanders the city, unable to escape his thoughts about the tragedy. When he travels to a quiet place tied to special memories, he unexpectedly meets Marianna, who captivates and enchants him.
My Thoughts Are Silent
A humor-filled film that brings life back. This Ukrainian tragicomedy by director Antonio Lukich follows Vadim, a young sound engineer and a bit of a loser, who gets an order from a client in Canada to record the sounds of rare animals and birds in the Ukrainian fauna of Zakarpattia. However, the task is complicated by the fact that Vadim’s taxi driver mother accompanies him on the journey through Zakarpattia.
Gutsulka Ksenya
Set in 1939, an American of Ukrainian descent comes to the Carpathians to marry a Ukrainian woman, as this is the only way he can inherit his late father’s fortune. However, he unexpectedly finds true love in the mountains, not the arranged marriage he anticipated.
Hero of My Time
One of the first Ukrainian art comedies that mock the dreams of millennials. Directed by Toni Noiabriva, the film tells the story of a “small person,” a boy “from the neighboring yard,” living in a complex and contradictory world. Zhoryk tries to find the meaning of his existence in a big city and comes to the capital in search of happiness. He looks for a job, tries to build relationships, and sets high goals, but each time he hits a dead end.
Bitter Harvest
The main character of the film, Yuriy, lives an ordinary life. He is in love with Natalka and dreams of building a strong family with her. However, his dreams are shattered by the man-hating Soviet regime, which organizes a famine. The population in the villages is on the verge of extinction. Men with freedom-loving blood in their veins cannot sit idly and wait for death. Resistance cells are organized to overcome the ruthless system.
Devoted
Based on the work of Sofia Andrukhovych, “Felix Austria.” The events take place in Austro-Hungarian Ukraine. Doctor Anher’s wife dies in a fire. In despair, he decides to raise two girls: his own daughter and the daughter of his workers. As they grow up, the girls struggle with their relationship.
Living Fire
A film about life, tradition, the conflict between the modern and ancient worlds, the nature of the mountains, human destiny, love, family, a place under the sun, a living fire, and shepherding—all seen through the eyes of a little boy who may become a shepherd.
Dove’s Nest
The film highlights the issue of labor migration of Ukrainians. The main character, Darina, is forced to go to Italy to earn money to feed her family (her husband, who lost his job, and her daughter). After suffering a lot in Italy, she finally decides to return home. However, there is no happiness in her eyes, as she returns to find a drunk husband and a pregnant daughter.
Zakhar Berkut
The events take place in the Carpathians, where a community of peasants tries to repel the Mongol invasion that destroys everything in its path. The peasants bravely defend their territory and free the captives, but this greatly angers the Mongol Khan, who finds a traitor among the peasants to help the Mongols move forward.
Stop-Earth
“Stop-Earth” is a story about the last school year of ordinary Kyiv schoolchildren. The plot centers around three friends who, between classes and preparing for external exams, strive to live and feel the last days of their childhood.
Magda
Directed by Denys Sobolev, based on the documentary novel “Love and Torments of Magda Homman,” which is based on real events. The film tells the story of Magda Homman, a German woman who moved to Ukraine in the 1920s after World War I with a Ukrainian soldier she fell in love with.
Reflection
The film tells the story of the Ukrainian-Russian war, torture at the Izolyatsia factory, and the attempt to adapt to peaceful life after the experienced horrors.
Butterfly Vision
A harsh and surreal story about a female warrior who refuses to be a victim. After being released from enemy captivity, aerial reconnaissance officer Lilia tries to return to her peaceful life in Ukraine. At home, she learns that she is pregnant as a result of being raped by her supervisor. The pain and trauma of what she experienced constantly resurface, as if in a dream, and something inside her does not allow her to forget why she must live on.
When We Were 15
The film tells the story of growing up in the 1990s. The plot centers around the story of 15-year-old Toni, who becomes part of a gang. The film depicts the cruelty faced by teenagers during those times. In the film, Anna Buryachkova attempts to look at Ukrainian millennials to understand how childhood in the 1990s influenced them.
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