To The Victory!

A feature-length drama set in Ukraine after the Russo-Ukrainian War, written and directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych and starring himself, Hryhoriy Naumov, Vladlen Odudenko and Volodymyr Kuznetsov.

A year has passed since the end of the Russo-Ukrainian War and filmmaker Valyk (Vasyanovych) is in Ukraine with his son, Yaroslav (Naumov), while his wife and daughter are living in Vienna. He has decided that his next project will concentrate on families being torn apart by war and with the help of acquaintances, he sets out to accomplish that, while simultaneously trying to deal with Yaroslav and support his elderly father (Kuznetsov).

Arguably, what stands out the most is the way this feature was filmed. The film is made out of many long takes and Vasyanovych decides to almost constantly keep the camera still, filming characters (and himself) as they work on a film production, have a good time partying or spend quality time together. The directing is beautiful and it contains many wonderful shot that effectively capture the surroundings. Interestingly, there are several scenes that begin by giving the impression that they are part of the story and are subsequently revealed to be scenes from the film Valyk is working on. This makes a creative storytelling technique. Non-diegetic music is absent, creating a feeling of realism.

This feature is primarily character-driven, focusing less on being story-oriented and that might make it struggle to find a vast audience as exploring the characters and not dedicating a great deal of time to having a narrative is something that is unlikely to appeal to a large number of viewers. Additionally, a static camera and no music do not offer much excitement and generally, the pace is slow, making the viewing feel overlong.

Valyk is a well-meaning man who is struggling to live his life and fulfil his plans in a country that has been damaged by conflict. He wants to complete his career ambitions and be a good family man. His son is a university student who has his own problems, having trouble finding his place in the world.

This is partly a feature about film-making and partly a family drama about aspirations, self-reflection, father-and-son relationships and life in post-war Ukraine.

The directing is superb, the performances are strong and the fact that the story takes place in Ukraine after the war with Russia is intriguing. However, are these qualities enough to save this film from a slow-moving story, a duration that outstays its welcome and an abrupt and unsatisfying ending? The answer to this most likely lies within the viewer's perspective.