This year, the films "In the Rearview" by Maciek Hamela and "We Will Not Fade Away" by Alisa Kovalenko are selected for the Documentary Selection 2023 programme. A total of 14 films are presented.
"In the Rearview" (Poland, France, Ukraine)
"In the Rearview" is an authentic, intimate observation of war as it unfolds, following multiple generations of Ukrainian civilians as they abruptly abandon their homes and rely on the help of director Maciek Hamela’s volunteer aid van to escape the life-threatening conflict. As he steers through minefields to leave Ukraine and tries to get through numerous military checkpoints, Hamela offers us a seat in his car, guiding the documentary from behind the wheel and behind the camera, crisscrossing the roads of Ukraine to transport uprooted refugees safely to Poland. The van traverses tens of thousands of kilometers and serves as a waiting room, hospital, shelter, and zone for confidences and confessions among compatriots thrown together by chance. In the Rearview is a collective portrait composed of an array of experiences of Ukrainians who share a single goal: finding a safe haven in the throes of conflict. With temporary asylum granted to all passengers, their differences in gender, age, skin tone, physical condition, origin, identity, worldviews and faith become irrelevant. While the war itself remains in the backdrop, its reflection and impact are evident and raw.
The film was created with the support of the Ukrainian State Film Agency. Cinematographers: Yura Dunay, Wawrzyniec Skoczylas, Marcin Sierakowski, Piotr Grawender. Producer: Piotr Grawender, Maciek Hamela.
The film was produced by Affinity Cine (Poland). Co-producers: SaNoSi Productions (France), 435 FILMS (Ukraine), and co-financed by the Polish Film Institute (PISF).
"We Will Not Fade Away" (Ukraine, France, Poland)
The film tells the story of teenagers coming of age in eastern Ukraine against the backdrop of war and their extraordinary journey to the Himalayan peaks. Despite the grim reality around them, Andrii, Ruslan, Illya, Lisa, and Lierra dream, seek adventures, protest, and fight against dullness and monotony. While the world around them crumbles, mines close, the threat of escalating war looms, they don't give up and strive to follow the calling of their dreams.
The film was created with the support of the State Agency of Ukraine for Cinema, the Polish Film Institute, and the IDFA Bertha Fund - Classic Postproduction. Cinematographer-directors: Serhii Stetsenko and Alisa Kovalenko. Creative producers: Stefan Siöen and Alisa Kovalenko. Producers: Valerii Kalmikov, Yana Kalmikova, and Oleksii Kobeliev (Trueman Production).
The European Film Awards 2023 event will take place in Berlin, the capital of Germany, where the European Film Academy is located. The ceremony is set to occur on Saturday, December 9th, at ARENA BERLIN.
