Synopse
Set in the middle of the cement jungle of Kyiv – usually referred to as "sleeping quarters” – we dive into an unexpected oasis of flowers and nature. The locals refer to it as a mini-farm or simply a messy pit. That is where we find the main character of our film, the 67-year-old Natalia, who is the rebel of the neighborhood, the last one refusing to sell her land. She is full of life and infectious energy, always armed with a sense of humor – her strongest shield.
Despite that the place resembles a shelter for homeless people, Natalia sees it as her paradise on earth. An oasis of peace, independence, and freedom. And no one – not even her own children, who are scattered around the world – can persuade her to move anywhere else. For the last 50 years, Kyiv's developers were unable to get rid of Natalia and her ecosystem, thanks to the grateful people who live there with her – a pair of refugees from Luhansk, a former and current husband, and a granddaughter.
When the worst day in Ukrainian history began, on February 24th, 2022, Natalia's fight for her tiny plot of land only gains momentum and quickly expands way beyond its borders. Unlike many others, she decides to stay and to do everything in her power to help liberate Kyiv. This time she embarks on a much larger fight for the homeland she loves. By nailing Putin to the walls, making Molotov cocktails and keeping up her good spirit by joking all the time – she heads for victory.
Natalia always fights with a smile and comes out on top. Kyiv developers stopped pressuring her during the military events. In some ways, Natalia found her own peace in the midst of the war. She realizes that she cannot live calmly. Everyone is changing as a result of the war. Natalia is no different. One the one hand, she engages in rebuilding the city, on the other she starts to think about death. One of her husbands died. Even her goat died. She will die here and no one can take it away from her. This is what she means by freedom.
Despite that the place resembles a shelter for homeless people, Natalia sees it as her paradise on earth. An oasis of peace, independence, and freedom. And no one – not even her own children, who are scattered around the world – can persuade her to move anywhere else. For the last 50 years, Kyiv's developers were unable to get rid of Natalia and her ecosystem, thanks to the grateful people who live there with her – a pair of refugees from Luhansk, a former and current husband, and a granddaughter.
When the worst day in Ukrainian history began, on February 24th, 2022, Natalia's fight for her tiny plot of land only gains momentum and quickly expands way beyond its borders. Unlike many others, she decides to stay and to do everything in her power to help liberate Kyiv. This time she embarks on a much larger fight for the homeland she loves. By nailing Putin to the walls, making Molotov cocktails and keeping up her good spirit by joking all the time – she heads for victory.
Natalia always fights with a smile and comes out on top. Kyiv developers stopped pressuring her during the military events. In some ways, Natalia found her own peace in the midst of the war. She realizes that she cannot live calmly. Everyone is changing as a result of the war. Natalia is no different. One the one hand, she engages in rebuilding the city, on the other she starts to think about death. One of her husbands died. Even her goat died. She will die here and no one can take it away from her. This is what she means by freedom.
Fotogalerie
