A Ukrainian family drama that couldn’t be more timely as it exposes the absurdity of war and explains the geopolitical complexities of parents-to-be living near the Russian border. An eye-opening look at the surreal and brutal events that led to the recent Russian invasion. 

Expectant parents Irka and Tolik live in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine near the Russian border: disputed territory in the early days of the Donbas war. Their nervous anticipation of their first child’s birth is violently disrupted as the vicinal crash of flight MH17 elevates the forbidding tension enveloping their village. The looming wreckage of the downed airliner and an incoming parade of mourners emphasize the surreal trauma of the moment.

As Tolik’s separatist friends expect him to join their efforts, Irka’s brother is enraged by suspicions that the couple has betrayed Ukraine. Irka refuses to be evacuated even as the village gets captured by armed forces and she tries to make peace between her husband and brother by asking them to repair their bombed house.

Maryna Er Gorbach

Maryna Er Gorbach studied in Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema & Television University (Ukraine), then graduated from Andrzej Wajda Master School of Film Directing (Poland).

Since 2017, she has been a member of the European Film Academy. Her films include THE KLONDIKE (2022), OMAR AND US (2019), LOVE ME (2013), and BLACK DOGS BARKING (2009).