The film tells about the tragic date in the history of the Crimean Tatar people — May 18, 1944 — Stalin’s deportation of the Crimean Tatars. The plot of the film — a pilot, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Amethan Sultan. In May, 1944, a year after liberation of Sevastopol Amethan goes on vacation to his native town Alupka. On May 18 his eyes witness begining of deportation of the Crimean Tatars.
Acting
Seitablaiev's eyes do what dialogue cannot
Direction
deportation shown through absence, not spectacle
Cinematography
Crimea as paradise about to be stolen
Director
Akhtem Seitablaiev
Akhtem Seitablaiev
Amethan Sultan
Oleksiy Horbunov
NKVD Major Krotov
Yuriy Tsurilo
NKVD General Vasilyev
Andrii Saminin
Vladimir Norishkin
Andrii Mostrenko
François de Geoffre
Dmytro Surzhykov
NKVD Captain Trunin
Mykola Boklan
Regiment Commander
Guram Bablishvili
Martik
Oleksii Trytenko
Mechanic Vanya
Lesia Samaieva
Neighbor Nadya
Daniil Belykh
Irina Demidkina
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The deportation of 1944 killed an estimated 46% of Crimean Tatars; Russia banned this film in occupied Crimea in 2014.
Director Seitablaiev is Crimean Tatar himself; his grandmother survived this deportation. The house in Alupka was his actual family home.
UA
