|
The Kyiv-based director sets his story in the
Donbas region of Ukraine. In the fictional tale, female fighter
Lilia, played by Rita Burkovska, has just been released by a
pro-Russia militia.
"A women's perspective in war is much more inclusive because of
this paradoxical combination of vulnerability and strength,"
Nakonechnyi told Reuters in an interview.
An aerial reconnaissance expert, Lilia's dreams are haunted by
the torture she was subjected to while in captivity. She is also
pregnant from being raped by an enemy soldier, angering her
proud husband, who joins a neo-Nazi militia.
The film was partially shot in eastern Ukraine near the Russian
border, and the location for a scene showing a prisoner swap was
moved due to the presence of Russian troops just before the war
started in February, Nakonechnyi said.
"We were making this film about the war, also in order to show
that there are people for whom the war lasts for years already,
and there are people who do not realise that," Nakonechnyi said
of the conflict that began in 2014, between Ukrainian government
forces and separatists supported by Russia as well as Russian
forces.
Russia's full-scale invasion in February has put the spotlight
on Ukrainian filmmakers at Cannes. Three films are included in
this year's selection, "Mariupolis 2" in special screenings, and
"Pamfir" in the Directors Fortnight section.
"Of course the audience is bigger. That may be considered as the
bitter irony," Nakonechnyi said, adding that "being in the daily
international agenda is a matter of survival for us."
"Butterfly Vision" competes in the Un Certain Regard section, a
parallel, more art house-focused schedule offering an
opportunity to young directors to feature in Cannes.
(Reporting by Michaela Cabrera; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
[© 2022 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.]
|
|
