The Earth Is Blue as an Orange (2020) Movie Script
1
Thanks.
Scene one, shot one, take one.
- Just give it a go...
- I don't know...
Go on, you can do it...
Cut. Vlad...
But I don't know what to...
Where's Stas?
Let's try with Stas.
Tell us what you think, okay?
Come on.
Ready? Give it a try.
Awesome!
All good? How am I sitting?
You are sitting very well.
Just a sec, it should be kind of tragic.
Myroslava!
Speak loud and clear, and emotional!
Yep!
I've already realized
that you don't like me, Nastya.
But we are swapping roles now.
Let's start.
Boys...
I'm here.
Should I look at you?
Okay.
Let's start.
Mom, like this?
Mom, look at the camera, please!
Mom, scene one, shot three...
Scene one, shot three, take one.
Vlad, come on, clap it.
Scene one...
Scene one, shot three, take one.
It's over.
We were in the house.
We didn't go outside.
I was in the house.
It fell somewhere nearby.
The windows of our neighbor's house
are shattered, the light's gone out.
"Civilian houses on Sadova Street
were damaged."
Our neighbors...
What do they say?
"An artillery battle is on.
Don't add fuel to the fire
with your comments."
I'll take the blanket...
Fucking hell!
Over and over again.
Fucking morons!
And everyone has to suck it up!
The entire side of the house is gone,
and the windows...
Look what has happened!
We need to bring the commandant here,
let him see what has been shelled!
It's all shelled,
the entire yard is covered in debris.
Girls, I freaked out so much.
- It's even worse than in 2014.
- Yes...
- Even if the houses remain...
- When they were shelling...
Are you okay? Everyone's alive?
Any wounded?
No, only destroyed houses.
Not this one, it's further away.
Illuminate the house
with your powerful flashlights.
- Does anyone live there?
- Of course!
Don't walk in a crowd, please.
Only one person enters.
In a minute,
the area will be shelled again.
Well, thanks for the good news.
Come on. Hurry up and eat.
Yesterday, the sky was red.
Do you remember that great sunset?
It looked like the Second Coming.
Do you remember
how Mira tried to film the moon?
Nope.
- I don't want it!
- Well, I tried.
Sausage!
- Do you want some macaroni?
- No, I don't.
Give me your little feet.
You scratched me a bit.
- What?
- Nothing.
Sure thing I won't send you the pics.
- Just try.
- I will!
It's hard when your girlfriend
is a photographer.
DEAR CUSTOMERS! WE APOLOGIZE
FOR THE TEMPORARY INCONVENIENCE.
THE BANK TERMINAL IS OUT OF ORDER.
It's just...
You have freckles...
Freckles? No freckles.
For all of my life,
I've been raising the children alone.
I had to work day and night.
My husband moved to Canada.
- Not a single call from him. Asshole.
- And he never came back.
Dear God, do they have hearts?
Those men...
We have the same situation.
Myroslava called her father,
"Dad, my school ball is on the 26th."
And he goes, "So what?"
"So what?" And that's all.
It's wrong that, in our country,
only mothers are responsible
for the children, not the fathers.
- Vlad? Vlad!
- What?
What are you doing out there?
Some people would do anything
for a good shot.
"Dark screen,
sound of breaking glass,
someone cries out "Mom,"
trampling of feet.
That's 1.1.
First scene, 1.1.
1.2. The cellar.
The candle is lit.
Faces of the children
and the mother appear.
She is soothing the children..."
- A close-up of the candle, right?
- Yes.
Fingers and a candle.
No, wait.
The light comes up
and we see the title.
- Go!
- Come on!
- You used to be lighter.
- I feel as if we're hiding Jews.
That's the way it was!
Silence! That's too much.
Kesha's got in!
- Too much...
- Joy.
- Quiet.
- Ready?
Are the actors ready?
Are you ready?
- Well? Camera!
- Camera is rolling.
Sound.
Sound is rolling too.
So, "Living by the Rules,"
scene one, shot 2A, take two.
Action!
Mommy, I'm scared.
Don't be afraid,
we'll light a candle now.
Cut!
Now let him try to say it.
Stas, if you can't do it...
Vlad will say it then, okay?
Nastya, take away the clapper.
- Okay, is everyone ready?
- Yes.
Camera.
Are they shelling?
Or is it somebody running?
Action!
Don't raise your tiny bottoms.
Because they'll shoot your bottom off!
Like that, like that.
Is it clear?
Close your ears and open your mouth.
Do you get it?
Well done!
And then we keep listening to
how she tells us to open our mouths...
We don't raise our heads,
we're simply lying like this.
But how do we breathe?
You don't have to breathe
into the carpet!
Turn your head to me.
- Camera.
- Camera's rolling.
- Sound.
- Sound's rolling.
Give me the clapper.
It's behind you, on the floor.
Action!
Children, you need to close your ears
and open your mouths,
so your eardrums won't burst.
Ouch!
Cut!
What's with that "ouch"?
Scene two, shot two, take two.
Action.
Children, we live in the "red zone,"
we are at war.
You can find dangerous items
anywhere you go.
You can find them
in the forest, in the park.
Therefore, you have to be very careful.
If you find anything,
you have to move away...
We should call 101.
You should inform adults and...
Or if there are no parents nearby,
and you walk alone and find a mine,
you need to tell the passers-by.
And call 101.
What's the matter?
Vlad, sit still!
Just do it.
Harder!
I told you! The secret is
to pull fast and hard.
But if you pull it slowly...
That's it. Here, have it.
"...the stop helps
to regulate the aperture
"that allows the light
into the camera lens
"and changes the lens'
exposure to light.
"The three common types of stops:
rotating, leaf and iris.
"Photosensitivity is the ability
of the photosensitive material
"to capture the image
under the influence
"of electromagnetic radiation,
especially the light..."
We call it the final celebration
of childhood.
So let the festive music play.
So wish us luck
And we'll be grateful
to our school for everything
Help me not to tear the strings
with all the pain I carry in my soul
And grant me the strength to fly up high
To bid you a last farewell
And fly up high to meet my destiny
And have the strength...
EDUCATION CERTIFICATE
Come on, come on!
But my wish was to get into university!
Let go of your dream.
Titanic. It's resting.
Why? Why?
Myroslava Serhiivna.
Okay, guys, let's go home.
The statue of the "Motherland."
What a view from here, look!
Quick, quick!
Did you sleep well?
- Yes.
- So did we.
Listen, we will call you
in the following order:
five journalists, five directors,
five sound directors,
three photographers
and three cinematographers.
Is that clear?
Okay, the sound directors.
Any sound directors?
All documents in place?
Good luck.
Gerasymchuk.
Opanasenko.
- Absent?
- Present!
Here, present!
I'm here, just a sec!
The documents?
Cinematographers.
So...
Toropchynova.
Absent.
Lys.
Absent.
- Trofymchuk.
- Present!
Good luck!
- Kobylets.
- Mychas.
How was it?
Hello!
Hello, Tetiana Mykhailivna,
it's Myroslava Trofymchuk's mother.
Yes, yes.
What's the girl's last name again?
Myroslava Trofymchuk.
Trofymchuk Myroslava Serhiivna?
Congratulations, you're our student!
On scholarship?
Yes.
I told you everything will be fine,
and you didn't believe me.
Thank you. That's great.
There, there.
Don't cry, I beg you.
Thank you.
No need to cry.
Yes. Have a nice day!
Call Aunt Olia.
Of course, we need to call everyone.
Well, that's it.
Start packing! Goodbye!
We should have kept the bags...
She's not picking up, let's call Grandma.
Why is it always like this?
Amazing news and no one's
picking up the phone!
Hello, Mom!
That's it, congratulate
your granddaughter,
she's on scholarship.
Hurray! Hip-hip hurray!
Congratulations!
Congratulations from all of us!
Come here.
It's really awful there.
- Hello. Are you also in this room?
- Yes, that's my bed.
- What is your name?
- Nastya.
Nice to meet you,
my other daughter is also Nastya.
And this is Myrosia.
She will live with you.
I can handle all the issues.
Whatever those are.
The only thing, I beg you,
if you are being bullied,
please call me, let me know.
It won't get worse.
The worst thing is to tolerate it.
Mom will come
and figure it out. Okay?
Mom will come and figure it all out.
Do you understand?
Well, let's hug and kiss.
I've been lining up right behind
this girl with a bobble hat.
Five sets.
It's horrible. I can't see a damn thing.
Like this, there.
It needs to be like this.
Yes, that's better.
It's slightly over-exposed,
so it would be easier to...
Is it 5.6 now?
Take the ISO down to 400.
It's highlighted here.
On that part.
I can't see.
It's here.
Here.
Lower.
Okay, all clear?
...but the Russian security forces,
contrary to all international agreements,
attacked Ukrainians with weapons.
Martial law has been introduced
in 10 borderline regions of Ukraine.
The politicians have decided
it will last for 30 days...
Hi there.
Yes, I'm already on the train.
I got us the camera
and the thing to record sound.
And the Christmas tree?
I'll come and we'll decorate the house.
The whole family will be together.
For the first time in five years,
the first time since the war started.
I flipped out when I heard it.
No way, no!
I'll have some borscht when I'm there.
- This scarf doesn't suit you.
- Thank you.
You're welcome.
- Do you need help?
- No.
A clean place is a safe place.
Do you hear "ooo"?
I like that sound, "ooo."
Mom, look at this.
Click it. Once more.
Once again. And again.
Again. And again.
That's it, that's good.
Sit down.
There you go.
Every time we discuss something,
I start foaming.
- Who is foaming?
- Me!
Well, how else will you show
the panorama of the city?
But why do I need the panorama?
You have to show
which city the action is set in.
Do you understand?
You have a normal, civilized house
in a normal, civilized setting.
How will you show that you've
been living in the war for five years?
How will you show the destroyed city?
In what way?
That's why this shot is a must!
Which shot exactly?
Olha and me Viktorovna dragging
the suitcase from Solnechna Street.
This way you'll show
the panorama of the destroyed city.
We walk through the destroyed,
shelled, demolished city.
- A gray...
- It'll be a static shot:
You walk in and out of it.
- No.
- Yes!
I'll tell you once again.
What panorama?
How on earth is it going to fit in?
Shoot a POV.
Get yourself a camera drone
and do whatever you please!
We'll get into a fight.
I wonder, which other shot
will you show the destroyed city in?
There you go,
the interview with our granny!
- What about it?
- Lay it over with whatever you want!
No, we show
only the potbelly stove, nothing else.
It must be reasonable.
I don't want to end up
with a set of random shots.
But that's what we are about to get!
- No.
- Yes.
You're as stubborn as a ram.
Well, she's an Aries.
And you're a Capricorn!
I'm a Capricorn, that's even worse!
Okay, what's next?
Boys!
Boys, wait up!
Boys, I have an emergency!
My child is ill.
He's got a fever, I need medicine.
Do you have anything?
Do we have any pills?
Thank you very much, boys!
Cut!
I was down in the basement
with my children,
and my youngest son--
he wasn't even two back then--
he had fever, 103.1.
We were out of money by then,
all the drugstores were closed,
there were no medicines.
The situation is critical,
the child has a fever...
Where to go?
What to do?
It was all a blur.
The military was located nearby.
The only ones we could turn to
were the military.
Boys!
Thank you very much!
C'mon, let's go!
Boys! Thank you so much!
You're stars!
Thanks to you, we'll have it done.
Now everybody smile
and say "cinema"!
Cinema!
Cut.
Grandma, first of all, when...
If you hear a sound outside, don't get up.
Just look at the window.
Safety measures!
Secondly, don't ask us what to do.
If you need to close it, just do it.
As if we are not here.
- Once again then?
- Yes.
Don't stand up, just look at it.
Oh, sorry.
- We would always come to the windows.
- Exactly, Grandma!
We tried to see whether
it's happening in our yard or not...
Yes, sure, and then--
peaceful civilians are being killed.
And who are to blame?
The civilians!
'Cause they're like, "Let's go outside,
let's take look through the window!"
Your grandpa had his entire back
scarred by the shelling...
I know, Grandma.
Our neighbors from the third floor--
they live in Donetsk.
Throughout the war,
they hadn't spent a single day here.
And then, after we had
24 or 28 shells falling in our area...
If you straightened your arm,
you wouldn't be able to see
further than that...
It was all black.
Coming from both sides.
My Vitya was suffocating.
The bucket...
the one I use for mopping...
I'd soak a cloth in it and cover up...
The smoke was coming from both sides,
so we wouldn't even enter this room...
And then the neighbors came,
"You and your potbelly stove,
you've soiled our entire flat!"
I told them it wasn't us...
It's because of the shelling,
that's why it got all black.
Let's go!
- Where to?
- There!
Wait! Stop!
Olia is here.
Hi, honey!
Congratulations!
Thanks for everything.
This cake has a taste of...
The taste of a dream!
And you never allow me smoking
in the house, damn it.
Grandma, pass the knife, please.
And the plates.
Hallelujah!
Scissorhands!
Come on...
A wonderful cake, I already like it.
Because it's a big one.
Aunt Olia, do you eat cake?
I eat everything.
Tweet tweet, jug jug,
the nightingale is chirping
It's calling all the birds to the nest
Oh, in the forest, near the Danube...
No, no. Wait.
- Are you singing alone?
- Yes!
Okay, get down there.
Okay, we're already dead.
We're already crushed by the rubble.
Get down there.
And what about you?
After you.
Ladies first.
Holy shit, how did we do it back then?
Come on, that's how it was.
You sit and slide down.
That's how it used to be--
voil, you are in the cellar.
Take this.
And the camera.
Gosh, as if you're being buried.
- Hold please, it's heavy.
- I'm holding it.
That's it, quiet!
Oh, my God!
That's so cool!
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name...
You didn't close the book.
I know. Olia!
- We discussed this dozens of times.
- You leaf through it and...
I know! I know that!
I was about to close it!
- Okay, fine, let's do it again.
- Don't press anything.
- You had to leaf through and close it...
- I know!
So why did you start reading?
I wanted to start reading
and then press it to my chest.
Okay then.
Give me a second.
You cover yourself with the Bible.
Like this.
Once again.
Wait.
Action.
Our father...
War, it's when people shoot.
And other people shoot
the people who shot first.
When they start shooting,
Mom wakes us up
and we go to the hallway.
And when they stop,
we go back to sleep.
We stay in the hallway...
...so that the shards wouldn't reach us.
Shards of glass.
When there's a shelling,
it's very easy to define
whether it's coming towards us
or going away from us.
When the shell is flying away,
it sounds more like a ball.
But when it's coming towards us,
it sounds like a curved rectangular.
It's very loud.
It sounds like fireworks.
I said, "Mom, we're being bombed!
Wake up."
Mom gets up abruptly,
opens the window,
and we see a plane.
And the neighbor comes running,
shouting, "Ania, get cover!"
We went down to the basement.
And then Danylo and Olia came there.
It all started there, near their house.
Danylo was playing outside
and Olia was in the house.
And then they went looking
for their hamster.
We were playing tennis,
I took my hamster outside,
for him to run around or something...
I'm not sure, if it's a hamster
or a guinea pig, something like that...
And then, suddenly,
we hear a loud whiz,
and my friend,
she starts running towards home.
I don't understand what's going on,
I start looking around...
When I finally got into the house,
I turned around and saw the fire
crawling down the street...
You know, the flames were
just gushing down the streets.
How did the children take it?
Maybe since they were
so inexperienced,
and because they were
quite small back then...
Judging by my son,
I think he took it
really close to his heart,
because for some time--
for almost a year--
I've been noticing him sleeping
with his eyes open.
Did the war change you?
- Should I answer this question?
- Of course.
Damn. You're not going to believe me...
Why is that?
I would have been
much smarter by now.
My thoughts would have been
more composed.
Well, kinda...
And I would have had
an even bigger ego.
Because when you acknowledge
your superiority over others,
it brings your level up.
And that's somewhat bad,
but oh, well.
But if we speak of
feelings and emotions,
I have become
a very irritable and negative person.
If it wasn't for the war,
I would have stayed the same nice
and kind child I used to be.
That's it.
I don't know.
War is emptiness.
If we look at it closely,
it's definitely emptiness.
All of your friends leave.
The city is empty.
And everything that used to be
noisy and familiar is also empty.
The forests that are felled in Donbas
also become empty.
The reservoirs that used to have water
also become empty.
So for me, war is emptiness.
The decision to stay in the city
was very hard.
Because...
by staying here,
I have made my children
go through all of this...
I have taken away
their chance to have a calm life.
But we couldn't have left either.
I couldn't have lived anywhere else,
knowing that my parents are here,
knowing my sister is here.
Someone has to stay to rebuild this city.
Because if everyone leaves,
who is there to rebuild it?
We were told that the war
is coming to an end.
And we won't need to hide
in the basement anymore.
Or hide in the hallway.
I still can't prepare my speech.
How could you forget the speech?
I don't know. I'm thinking.
- My brain is boiling.
- And my brain isn't boiling.
- My head is boiling.
- Your ears are boiling!
A head and two ears.
- What's the time?
- 24 minutes!
My face is already tanned!
I need a hat, sunglasses
and sunscreen as soon as possible!
- Really?
- Really!
See people walking
towards the music school?
This is our audience.
And is the Oscar ready?
For Best Cinematography.
A couple of years ago,
Myra and I went to a cinema camp.
We learned how to make films there,
and our love for cinema was born.
This year, I've fulfilled my dream.
I enrolled in the university
to become a cinematographer.
And I've started to learn
the art of cinema.
And now it has become my life.
You are about to see
my first work as a DOP.
I would like to say
that you are about to see
a story about one family-- our family.
But it is also a story of our city.
Enjoy the screening!
Boys! Nastya, where are you?
Here, Nastya, hold this!
Vladushka, be careful!
Thanks.
Scene one, shot one, take one.
- Just give it a go...
- I don't know...
Go on, you can do it...
Cut. Vlad...
But I don't know what to...
Where's Stas?
Let's try with Stas.
Tell us what you think, okay?
Come on.
Ready? Give it a try.
Awesome!
All good? How am I sitting?
You are sitting very well.
Just a sec, it should be kind of tragic.
Myroslava!
Speak loud and clear, and emotional!
Yep!
I've already realized
that you don't like me, Nastya.
But we are swapping roles now.
Let's start.
Boys...
I'm here.
Should I look at you?
Okay.
Let's start.
Mom, like this?
Mom, look at the camera, please!
Mom, scene one, shot three...
Scene one, shot three, take one.
Vlad, come on, clap it.
Scene one...
Scene one, shot three, take one.
It's over.
We were in the house.
We didn't go outside.
I was in the house.
It fell somewhere nearby.
The windows of our neighbor's house
are shattered, the light's gone out.
"Civilian houses on Sadova Street
were damaged."
Our neighbors...
What do they say?
"An artillery battle is on.
Don't add fuel to the fire
with your comments."
I'll take the blanket...
Fucking hell!
Over and over again.
Fucking morons!
And everyone has to suck it up!
The entire side of the house is gone,
and the windows...
Look what has happened!
We need to bring the commandant here,
let him see what has been shelled!
It's all shelled,
the entire yard is covered in debris.
Girls, I freaked out so much.
- It's even worse than in 2014.
- Yes...
- Even if the houses remain...
- When they were shelling...
Are you okay? Everyone's alive?
Any wounded?
No, only destroyed houses.
Not this one, it's further away.
Illuminate the house
with your powerful flashlights.
- Does anyone live there?
- Of course!
Don't walk in a crowd, please.
Only one person enters.
In a minute,
the area will be shelled again.
Well, thanks for the good news.
Come on. Hurry up and eat.
Yesterday, the sky was red.
Do you remember that great sunset?
It looked like the Second Coming.
Do you remember
how Mira tried to film the moon?
Nope.
- I don't want it!
- Well, I tried.
Sausage!
- Do you want some macaroni?
- No, I don't.
Give me your little feet.
You scratched me a bit.
- What?
- Nothing.
Sure thing I won't send you the pics.
- Just try.
- I will!
It's hard when your girlfriend
is a photographer.
DEAR CUSTOMERS! WE APOLOGIZE
FOR THE TEMPORARY INCONVENIENCE.
THE BANK TERMINAL IS OUT OF ORDER.
It's just...
You have freckles...
Freckles? No freckles.
For all of my life,
I've been raising the children alone.
I had to work day and night.
My husband moved to Canada.
- Not a single call from him. Asshole.
- And he never came back.
Dear God, do they have hearts?
Those men...
We have the same situation.
Myroslava called her father,
"Dad, my school ball is on the 26th."
And he goes, "So what?"
"So what?" And that's all.
It's wrong that, in our country,
only mothers are responsible
for the children, not the fathers.
- Vlad? Vlad!
- What?
What are you doing out there?
Some people would do anything
for a good shot.
"Dark screen,
sound of breaking glass,
someone cries out "Mom,"
trampling of feet.
That's 1.1.
First scene, 1.1.
1.2. The cellar.
The candle is lit.
Faces of the children
and the mother appear.
She is soothing the children..."
- A close-up of the candle, right?
- Yes.
Fingers and a candle.
No, wait.
The light comes up
and we see the title.
- Go!
- Come on!
- You used to be lighter.
- I feel as if we're hiding Jews.
That's the way it was!
Silence! That's too much.
Kesha's got in!
- Too much...
- Joy.
- Quiet.
- Ready?
Are the actors ready?
Are you ready?
- Well? Camera!
- Camera is rolling.
Sound.
Sound is rolling too.
So, "Living by the Rules,"
scene one, shot 2A, take two.
Action!
Mommy, I'm scared.
Don't be afraid,
we'll light a candle now.
Cut!
Now let him try to say it.
Stas, if you can't do it...
Vlad will say it then, okay?
Nastya, take away the clapper.
- Okay, is everyone ready?
- Yes.
Camera.
Are they shelling?
Or is it somebody running?
Action!
Don't raise your tiny bottoms.
Because they'll shoot your bottom off!
Like that, like that.
Is it clear?
Close your ears and open your mouth.
Do you get it?
Well done!
And then we keep listening to
how she tells us to open our mouths...
We don't raise our heads,
we're simply lying like this.
But how do we breathe?
You don't have to breathe
into the carpet!
Turn your head to me.
- Camera.
- Camera's rolling.
- Sound.
- Sound's rolling.
Give me the clapper.
It's behind you, on the floor.
Action!
Children, you need to close your ears
and open your mouths,
so your eardrums won't burst.
Ouch!
Cut!
What's with that "ouch"?
Scene two, shot two, take two.
Action.
Children, we live in the "red zone,"
we are at war.
You can find dangerous items
anywhere you go.
You can find them
in the forest, in the park.
Therefore, you have to be very careful.
If you find anything,
you have to move away...
We should call 101.
You should inform adults and...
Or if there are no parents nearby,
and you walk alone and find a mine,
you need to tell the passers-by.
And call 101.
What's the matter?
Vlad, sit still!
Just do it.
Harder!
I told you! The secret is
to pull fast and hard.
But if you pull it slowly...
That's it. Here, have it.
"...the stop helps
to regulate the aperture
"that allows the light
into the camera lens
"and changes the lens'
exposure to light.
"The three common types of stops:
rotating, leaf and iris.
"Photosensitivity is the ability
of the photosensitive material
"to capture the image
under the influence
"of electromagnetic radiation,
especially the light..."
We call it the final celebration
of childhood.
So let the festive music play.
So wish us luck
And we'll be grateful
to our school for everything
Help me not to tear the strings
with all the pain I carry in my soul
And grant me the strength to fly up high
To bid you a last farewell
And fly up high to meet my destiny
And have the strength...
EDUCATION CERTIFICATE
Come on, come on!
But my wish was to get into university!
Let go of your dream.
Titanic. It's resting.
Why? Why?
Myroslava Serhiivna.
Okay, guys, let's go home.
The statue of the "Motherland."
What a view from here, look!
Quick, quick!
Did you sleep well?
- Yes.
- So did we.
Listen, we will call you
in the following order:
five journalists, five directors,
five sound directors,
three photographers
and three cinematographers.
Is that clear?
Okay, the sound directors.
Any sound directors?
All documents in place?
Good luck.
Gerasymchuk.
Opanasenko.
- Absent?
- Present!
Here, present!
I'm here, just a sec!
The documents?
Cinematographers.
So...
Toropchynova.
Absent.
Lys.
Absent.
- Trofymchuk.
- Present!
Good luck!
- Kobylets.
- Mychas.
How was it?
Hello!
Hello, Tetiana Mykhailivna,
it's Myroslava Trofymchuk's mother.
Yes, yes.
What's the girl's last name again?
Myroslava Trofymchuk.
Trofymchuk Myroslava Serhiivna?
Congratulations, you're our student!
On scholarship?
Yes.
I told you everything will be fine,
and you didn't believe me.
Thank you. That's great.
There, there.
Don't cry, I beg you.
Thank you.
No need to cry.
Yes. Have a nice day!
Call Aunt Olia.
Of course, we need to call everyone.
Well, that's it.
Start packing! Goodbye!
We should have kept the bags...
She's not picking up, let's call Grandma.
Why is it always like this?
Amazing news and no one's
picking up the phone!
Hello, Mom!
That's it, congratulate
your granddaughter,
she's on scholarship.
Hurray! Hip-hip hurray!
Congratulations!
Congratulations from all of us!
Come here.
It's really awful there.
- Hello. Are you also in this room?
- Yes, that's my bed.
- What is your name?
- Nastya.
Nice to meet you,
my other daughter is also Nastya.
And this is Myrosia.
She will live with you.
I can handle all the issues.
Whatever those are.
The only thing, I beg you,
if you are being bullied,
please call me, let me know.
It won't get worse.
The worst thing is to tolerate it.
Mom will come
and figure it out. Okay?
Mom will come and figure it all out.
Do you understand?
Well, let's hug and kiss.
I've been lining up right behind
this girl with a bobble hat.
Five sets.
It's horrible. I can't see a damn thing.
Like this, there.
It needs to be like this.
Yes, that's better.
It's slightly over-exposed,
so it would be easier to...
Is it 5.6 now?
Take the ISO down to 400.
It's highlighted here.
On that part.
I can't see.
It's here.
Here.
Lower.
Okay, all clear?
...but the Russian security forces,
contrary to all international agreements,
attacked Ukrainians with weapons.
Martial law has been introduced
in 10 borderline regions of Ukraine.
The politicians have decided
it will last for 30 days...
Hi there.
Yes, I'm already on the train.
I got us the camera
and the thing to record sound.
And the Christmas tree?
I'll come and we'll decorate the house.
The whole family will be together.
For the first time in five years,
the first time since the war started.
I flipped out when I heard it.
No way, no!
I'll have some borscht when I'm there.
- This scarf doesn't suit you.
- Thank you.
You're welcome.
- Do you need help?
- No.
A clean place is a safe place.
Do you hear "ooo"?
I like that sound, "ooo."
Mom, look at this.
Click it. Once more.
Once again. And again.
Again. And again.
That's it, that's good.
Sit down.
There you go.
Every time we discuss something,
I start foaming.
- Who is foaming?
- Me!
Well, how else will you show
the panorama of the city?
But why do I need the panorama?
You have to show
which city the action is set in.
Do you understand?
You have a normal, civilized house
in a normal, civilized setting.
How will you show that you've
been living in the war for five years?
How will you show the destroyed city?
In what way?
That's why this shot is a must!
Which shot exactly?
Olha and me Viktorovna dragging
the suitcase from Solnechna Street.
This way you'll show
the panorama of the destroyed city.
We walk through the destroyed,
shelled, demolished city.
- A gray...
- It'll be a static shot:
You walk in and out of it.
- No.
- Yes!
I'll tell you once again.
What panorama?
How on earth is it going to fit in?
Shoot a POV.
Get yourself a camera drone
and do whatever you please!
We'll get into a fight.
I wonder, which other shot
will you show the destroyed city in?
There you go,
the interview with our granny!
- What about it?
- Lay it over with whatever you want!
No, we show
only the potbelly stove, nothing else.
It must be reasonable.
I don't want to end up
with a set of random shots.
But that's what we are about to get!
- No.
- Yes.
You're as stubborn as a ram.
Well, she's an Aries.
And you're a Capricorn!
I'm a Capricorn, that's even worse!
Okay, what's next?
Boys!
Boys, wait up!
Boys, I have an emergency!
My child is ill.
He's got a fever, I need medicine.
Do you have anything?
Do we have any pills?
Thank you very much, boys!
Cut!
I was down in the basement
with my children,
and my youngest son--
he wasn't even two back then--
he had fever, 103.1.
We were out of money by then,
all the drugstores were closed,
there were no medicines.
The situation is critical,
the child has a fever...
Where to go?
What to do?
It was all a blur.
The military was located nearby.
The only ones we could turn to
were the military.
Boys!
Thank you very much!
C'mon, let's go!
Boys! Thank you so much!
You're stars!
Thanks to you, we'll have it done.
Now everybody smile
and say "cinema"!
Cinema!
Cut.
Grandma, first of all, when...
If you hear a sound outside, don't get up.
Just look at the window.
Safety measures!
Secondly, don't ask us what to do.
If you need to close it, just do it.
As if we are not here.
- Once again then?
- Yes.
Don't stand up, just look at it.
Oh, sorry.
- We would always come to the windows.
- Exactly, Grandma!
We tried to see whether
it's happening in our yard or not...
Yes, sure, and then--
peaceful civilians are being killed.
And who are to blame?
The civilians!
'Cause they're like, "Let's go outside,
let's take look through the window!"
Your grandpa had his entire back
scarred by the shelling...
I know, Grandma.
Our neighbors from the third floor--
they live in Donetsk.
Throughout the war,
they hadn't spent a single day here.
And then, after we had
24 or 28 shells falling in our area...
If you straightened your arm,
you wouldn't be able to see
further than that...
It was all black.
Coming from both sides.
My Vitya was suffocating.
The bucket...
the one I use for mopping...
I'd soak a cloth in it and cover up...
The smoke was coming from both sides,
so we wouldn't even enter this room...
And then the neighbors came,
"You and your potbelly stove,
you've soiled our entire flat!"
I told them it wasn't us...
It's because of the shelling,
that's why it got all black.
Let's go!
- Where to?
- There!
Wait! Stop!
Olia is here.
Hi, honey!
Congratulations!
Thanks for everything.
This cake has a taste of...
The taste of a dream!
And you never allow me smoking
in the house, damn it.
Grandma, pass the knife, please.
And the plates.
Hallelujah!
Scissorhands!
Come on...
A wonderful cake, I already like it.
Because it's a big one.
Aunt Olia, do you eat cake?
I eat everything.
Tweet tweet, jug jug,
the nightingale is chirping
It's calling all the birds to the nest
Oh, in the forest, near the Danube...
No, no. Wait.
- Are you singing alone?
- Yes!
Okay, get down there.
Okay, we're already dead.
We're already crushed by the rubble.
Get down there.
And what about you?
After you.
Ladies first.
Holy shit, how did we do it back then?
Come on, that's how it was.
You sit and slide down.
That's how it used to be--
voil, you are in the cellar.
Take this.
And the camera.
Gosh, as if you're being buried.
- Hold please, it's heavy.
- I'm holding it.
That's it, quiet!
Oh, my God!
That's so cool!
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name...
You didn't close the book.
I know. Olia!
- We discussed this dozens of times.
- You leaf through it and...
I know! I know that!
I was about to close it!
- Okay, fine, let's do it again.
- Don't press anything.
- You had to leaf through and close it...
- I know!
So why did you start reading?
I wanted to start reading
and then press it to my chest.
Okay then.
Give me a second.
You cover yourself with the Bible.
Like this.
Once again.
Wait.
Action.
Our father...
War, it's when people shoot.
And other people shoot
the people who shot first.
When they start shooting,
Mom wakes us up
and we go to the hallway.
And when they stop,
we go back to sleep.
We stay in the hallway...
...so that the shards wouldn't reach us.
Shards of glass.
When there's a shelling,
it's very easy to define
whether it's coming towards us
or going away from us.
When the shell is flying away,
it sounds more like a ball.
But when it's coming towards us,
it sounds like a curved rectangular.
It's very loud.
It sounds like fireworks.
I said, "Mom, we're being bombed!
Wake up."
Mom gets up abruptly,
opens the window,
and we see a plane.
And the neighbor comes running,
shouting, "Ania, get cover!"
We went down to the basement.
And then Danylo and Olia came there.
It all started there, near their house.
Danylo was playing outside
and Olia was in the house.
And then they went looking
for their hamster.
We were playing tennis,
I took my hamster outside,
for him to run around or something...
I'm not sure, if it's a hamster
or a guinea pig, something like that...
And then, suddenly,
we hear a loud whiz,
and my friend,
she starts running towards home.
I don't understand what's going on,
I start looking around...
When I finally got into the house,
I turned around and saw the fire
crawling down the street...
You know, the flames were
just gushing down the streets.
How did the children take it?
Maybe since they were
so inexperienced,
and because they were
quite small back then...
Judging by my son,
I think he took it
really close to his heart,
because for some time--
for almost a year--
I've been noticing him sleeping
with his eyes open.
Did the war change you?
- Should I answer this question?
- Of course.
Damn. You're not going to believe me...
Why is that?
I would have been
much smarter by now.
My thoughts would have been
more composed.
Well, kinda...
And I would have had
an even bigger ego.
Because when you acknowledge
your superiority over others,
it brings your level up.
And that's somewhat bad,
but oh, well.
But if we speak of
feelings and emotions,
I have become
a very irritable and negative person.
If it wasn't for the war,
I would have stayed the same nice
and kind child I used to be.
That's it.
I don't know.
War is emptiness.
If we look at it closely,
it's definitely emptiness.
All of your friends leave.
The city is empty.
And everything that used to be
noisy and familiar is also empty.
The forests that are felled in Donbas
also become empty.
The reservoirs that used to have water
also become empty.
So for me, war is emptiness.
The decision to stay in the city
was very hard.
Because...
by staying here,
I have made my children
go through all of this...
I have taken away
their chance to have a calm life.
But we couldn't have left either.
I couldn't have lived anywhere else,
knowing that my parents are here,
knowing my sister is here.
Someone has to stay to rebuild this city.
Because if everyone leaves,
who is there to rebuild it?
We were told that the war
is coming to an end.
And we won't need to hide
in the basement anymore.
Or hide in the hallway.
I still can't prepare my speech.
How could you forget the speech?
I don't know. I'm thinking.
- My brain is boiling.
- And my brain isn't boiling.
- My head is boiling.
- Your ears are boiling!
A head and two ears.
- What's the time?
- 24 minutes!
My face is already tanned!
I need a hat, sunglasses
and sunscreen as soon as possible!
- Really?
- Really!
See people walking
towards the music school?
This is our audience.
And is the Oscar ready?
For Best Cinematography.
A couple of years ago,
Myra and I went to a cinema camp.
We learned how to make films there,
and our love for cinema was born.
This year, I've fulfilled my dream.
I enrolled in the university
to become a cinematographer.
And I've started to learn
the art of cinema.
And now it has become my life.
You are about to see
my first work as a DOP.
I would like to say
that you are about to see
a story about one family-- our family.
But it is also a story of our city.
Enjoy the screening!
Boys! Nastya, where are you?
Here, Nastya, hold this!
Vladushka, be careful!