‘Bucha,’ First Ukrainian Feature Shot Since War Began, Seeks Steaming Deal

The makers of Bucha, the primary narrative function movie shot in Ukraine since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of the nation, are aiming for a significant distribution deal for his or her gripping drama.

Director Stanislav Tiunov and writer-producer Oleksandr Schur unveiled an almost completed tough lower of the movie on the Ukrainian Cultural Heart in Los Angeles on Saturday, the second anniversary of Russia’s brutal assault. The film tells the heroic story of Konstantin Gudauskas, a Jewish man from Kazakhstan who risked his life to rescue lots of of Ukrainians trapped within the metropolis of Bucha and close by cities outdoors Kyiv, after Russia started its bombardment and floor invasion of Ukraine.

“We’re searching for an enormous distributor,” Tiunov instructed Deadline after the screening. “Now we have a few conferences right here in L.A. Sasha [Schur] goes to San Francisco instantly. Now we have conferences in London.”

“They’re making an attempt to get a significant streaming platform — Netflix, Apple, whoever is keen to go ahead with this, as a result of it’s not a straightforward movie for Individuals to course of whereas the battle continues to be occurring,” defined Mariietta Volynska, who attended the Bucha screening and assisted the director in speaking in English. “That is the primary [narrative] movie that’s being launched through the battle and shot through the battle.”

Russian forces occupied Bucha in March 2022, allegedly committing crimes in opposition to humanity on Ukrainian civilians. Ukrainian troops compelled a Russian withdrawal from the town in April of that 12 months.

“We shot the movie in Kyiv and the Kyiv area, in Bucha,” Tiunov mentioned. “Some areas had been the identical areas the place the Russian terrorists had been killing, raping folks.”

Russia has denied committing atrocities in Bucha and Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed movies exhibiting lifeless civilians within the streets of Bucha had been faked (the investigative journalism group Bellingcat has disputed Russia’s assertions).

“The movie Bucha is a creative drama that impedes the proliferation of the propagandistic narratives of the Russian authorities,” notes a launch concerning the cinematic mission. “It reveals the horrific reality of occasions in Ukraine that unfolded in the beginning of the full-scale invasion within the cities of Bucha, Vorzel, and Hostomel.”

In response to a synopsis, “The movie tells concerning the rescue of native residents by Konstantin Gudauskas, a citizen of Kazakhstan who obtained asylum in Ukraine and lived in Bucha. When the Russian invasion started, he was allowed to cross into the territory occupied by Russian troops due to his Kazakh passport. As soon as there, he was in a position to extract Ukrainian civilians out of the occupied territory into security. Konstantin not solely saved folks, but in addition grew to become an eyewitness to all of the horrors of battle and occupation.”

Polish actor Cezary Lukaszewicz performs Gudauskas. Ukrainian actor Vyacheslav Dovzhenko stars as a Russian commander who doesn’t let worldwide legislation deter him from summarily executing Ukrainian civilians. Lukaszewicz attended Saturday’s screening in L.A. and was launched as a part of a Q&A after the movie performed, however when the mic was handed to him he mentioned he was too overcome with emotion to talk.

Ukraine’s Ministry of Protection, the Common Employees of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the State Border Service of Ukraine, the Nationwide Police of Ukraine, the Kyiv Metropolis Council, the Kyiv Regional Army Administration and Ukrainian movie studio — Movie.UA Group – “assisted the staff in creating and taking pictures the movie and likewise act as co-producers and distributors of the movie,” in response to the film’s web site.

Schur, the writer-producer, has written a dozen TV collection for Studio Kvartal 95, a manufacturing firm based by then-actor and comic Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who would later be elected president of Ukraine in 2019.

In an announcement, Schur mentioned of Bucha, “Via this mission we wish to deliver consideration of the worldwide group to what has occurred and urge for continued navy and monetary help of Ukrainian folks in our struggle in opposition to evil invaders.”

Gudauskas, the topic of the movie, has continued his humanitarian work after his efforts to evacuate trapped Ukrainian civilians, turning his focus now to the youngest victims of the battle.

“He has his personal basis after the occupation of Bucha,” Tiunov mentioned. “He’s serving to youngsters who misplaced their mother and father. He’s gathering some huge cash for them. We helped him too for Christmas — we introduced [the kids] lots of completely different presents.”

In an interview in 2022, Gudauskas described being stopped at Russian-manned checkpoints as he tried to drive Ukrainian civilians to security within the early days of the battle. “I used to be requested by them [Russians] on a regular basis, ‘Aren’t you afraid to die?’” Gudauskas mentioned. “I instructed them, ‘I’m afraid to die doing nothing.’”