The film "Rock, Paper, Scissors" with Oleksandr Rudynskyi in the lead role won a BAFTA.
This was reported on the website of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
The film's plot is based on real events and tells the story of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The main character, 18-year-old Ivan, has a father who works as a surgeon and operates on injured soldiers and civilians in a bunker. From the first days of the Russian invasion, Ivan's father starts performing surgeries on wounded soldiers and civilians, saving their lives. He conducts the surgeries in a bunker, but news of the shelter reaches the Russian troops. To protect his family and the wounded, Ivan takes up arms and heads to the battlefield.
The film was directed by 26-year-old British director of German descent, Franz Böhm.
The film's cinematographer was Sunshine Hsien-Yu Niu, a Taiwanese woman living in London. She previously graduated from the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and the London Film School, where she received the Panalux Award for Outstanding Cinematography for the Hong Kong short film "Underneath" (2020).
"Rock, Paper, Scissors" was Böhm's graduation film (National Film and Television School, or NFTS).
The world premiere of the film took place at the Show Me Shorts Film Festival in 2024, which was part of the selection competition for qualification for the Oscar.
The main role of 18-year-old Ivan was played by Ukrainian actor Oleksandr Rudynskyi.
"Oleksandr Rudynskyi's performance as Ivan is a real find for the audience. His panic and anxiety are palpable, as is his heroism. To tackle such a role and perform it at such high stakes is commendable and deserving of an award. The supporting actors also deliver a talented ensemble, especially the Russian soldiers, who radiate a distinct atmosphere of threat," said UK Film Review.
Franz Böhm met the real-life prototype of Ivan's character in the UK. The Ukrainian man was undergoing military training there, having previously joined the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces.
