Ballad of Kychiev

Poland2023fiction20'Konkurs polski (2023)

Ukraine, 2022. Russian soldiers are committing war crimes on the civilian population. The occupied areas are cut off from the rest of the country and the residents face death if they try to escape. Only volunteers may enter this zone, although their permits do not guarantee access or survival. Apart from money for bribes, they also need luck. Will fortune smile on Dmytro? ‘Ballada Kyczyjewska’ takes the audience to one of the ramparts controlled by the soldiers wearing the enemy letter Z. Although the film does not start with an earthquake, the beginning is derived straight from Hitchcock and hits you with a strong impact after which the tension continues to grow. The film proves that by using the language of the genre it is possible to tell profoundly humane and timely stories.