162 minutes of Ukrainian chaos where love literally gets away with murder.
Based on the story of Marko Vovchok "Pavlо Chornokryl". Pavlo Chornokryl, passionate about young beauty Varka, kills his wife Anna for the opportunity to be with her mistress.
Acting
Romaniuk's descent from pathetic to terrifying is masterclass slow-burn.
Production
Painfully authentic 19th-century Ukrainian village reconstruction.
Director
Oleh Biima
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Marko Vovchok was a pioneering Ukrainian woman writer using a male pseudonym; this adaptation ironically centers male violence she often critiqued.
The 162-minute runtime mirrors Pavlo's delusion that his obsession is epic rather than squalid—Biima makes you suffer his self-importance.
UA
