It tells the story of a young Ukrainian family, the Kowalenkos, who are surprised by the start of war on the last day of their vacation in Tenerife. As they try to return to Kyiv, they find it impossible and quickly become refugees.
"The experience of war and trauma serve as key themes in the film," said director Damian Kocur.
Although the film has received very positive reviews and has been showcased at several international festivals, including Toronto and most recently Zurich, at the Gdynia Film Festival, Under the Volcano only received one award from the jury.
During the final gala, Kocur mentioned that they made a simple yet meaningful film that reflects his vision.
He explained that the story shows how one day we might worry about something trivial, like what wine to have with dinner, while the next day could bring unexpected challenges, as faced by the characters: Roman, Sofiia, and Fedir in their home country.
Warsaw, October 7, 2024. Premiere of the film "Under the Volcano," which is this year's contender for an Oscar in the International Feature Film category. Pictured from left: Actor Maciej Musiałowski and the rest of the cast (FOTON/PAP)
"I believe that you don’t have to make a film about Poles in Polish to create a film about people," the director said before the screening.
According to kultura.onet.pl, some people with a right-wing worldview are upset that Poland is submitting a film in Ukrainian with a Ukrainian cast focused on Ukraine for the Oscars.
The film "Under the Volcano" is this year's contender for an Oscar in the International Feature Film category and has a strong chance of winning.
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