Ukrainian director Pavlo Ostrikov is working on his second film, "Tragedy," following his successful feature directorial debut with the sci-fi drama "You, the Universe." Filming will begin next year. The announcement was made by ForeFilms, which also presented the film's first teaser, reports UNN.
Details
The film is set in the near future, where the war has ended. After overthrowing the Christian god, the ancient Greek gods now rule the world. Philosophy professor Yurii Voloshyn and his student Kolia embark on a journey across Ukraine to the Realm of the Dead to bring their loved ones back from the afterlife.
The teaser's animation style is symbolic in a certain sense and continues a practice begun by ForeFilms back with the film "You, the Universe": an animated teaser that not only presented the film at pitching sessions but even became part of the film itself.
As in his previous works, in "Tragedy," screenwriter and director Pavlo Ostrikov continues to work at the intersection of different genres, employs a variety of stylistic techniques, and introduces unexpected plot developments, while not forgetting to address topical issues.
In form, the story resembles an ancient Greek tragedy, in which the chorus is an integral part of the work. And it will become one of the film's key artistic devices, singing certain parts of the plot throughout the film and connecting the story into a unified whole.
The film's events unfold in the genre of magical realism, where the characters accept fantastical phenomena as everyday occurrences.
Despite the project's title, its genre is more accurately described as tragicomedy, because even in difficult times there is room for hope and humor. I believe in the power of humor as a tool for reflection, so in my future film I want to find a balance between drama and comedy. It is important for me to tell this story because, for me, it is a form of therapy that helps me come to terms with reality. I believe in the power of art; I believe that looking at events from a different angle can sometimes make it possible to see more
The film is being produced by Anna Yatsenko and Volodymyr Yatsenko, co-founders of the production company ForeFilms. They produced such Ukrainian films as "Me and Felix," "Reflection," "Luxembourg, Luxembourg," "You, the Universe," and others.
The drama "You Are Space" became the second highest-grossing Ukrainian film of 202524.12.25, 14:58
The project is currently in development, and filming is scheduled to begin in summer 2027.
The project is being implemented with the support of the Ukrainian Cultural Foundation.