IT
In February 2022, Alisa Kovalenko had to put down the camera and grab the rifle: a filmmaker by profession, she joined the volunteer combat unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the Russian invasion. For four months, she abandoned the editing room of WE WILL NOT FADE AWAY and went out in the trenches. Then she completed her film, in competition at Giffoni for the GexDoc section.
In February 2022, Alisa Kovalenko had to put down the camera and grab the rifle: a filmmaker by profession, she joined the volunteer combat unit of the Ukrainian Armed Forces after the Russian invasion. For four months, she abandoned the editing room of WE WILL NOT FADE AWAY and went out in the trenches. Then she completed her film, in competition at Giffoni for the GexDoc section. The film is not only a story of war and upheaval – still ongoing and relevant today – but also sends out a message of joy and hope amidst the bombs: children, tomorrow’s adults, must continue to dream and their light must counteract the obstinacy that increasingly characterises men’s decisions and behaviour.
Childhood and a carefree spirit are a distant memory. In the mining region of Donbass, a group of Ukrainian boys is about to face a war that destroys places and families. But it does not wipe out memory, it does not suffocate dreams, or at least not completely. Before the bombs, the lives of five young people are a colour palette. They not only paint but also take photographs, they hope to become actors or the new Elon Musk. Then these dreams are left behind and only emerge from time to time in their rebellious reaction to the changing context: they do not stop being explorers and adventure lovers, they accept challenges and even walk through minefields. There is an opportunity, it is called Nepal: they embark on a long journey, strong in their hope/ambition to conquer the world.
The five boys are faced with the nightmare of war at the door. The future is uncertain, jeopardised, but they try to protect their everyday life and find their way. An expedition to the Himalayas offers the opportunity for a brief escape from that terrible reality. It is a fantastic experience: it leaves a lasting memory that will bind them forever, no matter what fate befalls them.