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Under the Volcano film image; adults with a child taking a group selfie

Under the Volcano

Panorama

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One day, Roman, Nastya, and their two children are enjoying a relaxing vacation in Tenerife. The next, Russia invades their homeland, Ukraine, and the world has shifted beneath their feet. Their newfound status as refugees insidiously, inexorably heightens the tensions typical of any family holiday. The war underwrites their every interaction. While trying to distract their young son and deal with their teenage daughter’s newfound rebellious streak, Roman and Nastya’s marriage is put to the test.

Elliptical in style but unflinchingly honest, this Polish-produced film effectively conveys the Ukrainian family’s maelstrom of emotions—grief, fear, confusion, animosity, depression, self-doubt, lust for revenge, and greater sympathy for other dispossessed strangers. Director Damian Kocur wields the absurdity of being in a holiday destination when your home is under siege to tremendous effect. His brilliant narrative gambit results in a truly unique and invaluable perspective on the Ukraine crisis.

 

Supported by

Director
Cast

Sofia Berezowska, Roman Lutskyi, Anastasiia Karpienko, Fedir Pugachov

Credits
Country of Origin

Poland

Year

2024

Language

In Ukrainian, Spanish, English, Russian, German and Wolof with English subtitles

Film Contact
18+
102 min
Family Relations
Lizart Film

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Credits & Director

Producer

Mikolaj Lizut, Agnieszka Jastrzębska

Screenwriter

Damian Kocur, Marta Konarzewska

Cinematography

Nikita Kuzmienko

Editor

Alan Zejer

Production Design

Aleksandra Markowska

Damian Kocur headshot; Under the Volcano director

Damian Kocur

Damian Kocur is a director, scriptwriter, cinematographer, and a PhD student at the Łódź Film School. His debut feature film Bread and Salt (2022) was awarded the Special Jury Prize in the Orizzonti competition at the Venice Film Festival 2022, Cairo IFF, Antalya IFF, Cottbus Film Festival, and many more. His last short film As It Was was nominated for the Palme d’Or at Cannes 2023.

Filmography: Bread and Salt (2022)

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