Reflection

Directed by Valentyn Vasyanovych
Film Movement
2021
125 Minutes
Ukraine
Ukrainian, Russian
Drama
Eastern European, Russian/Slavic Studies, War and Peace
Not Rated
DVD $17.97
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PPR $200.00
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DRL $499.00
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PPR+DRL $599.00
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In 2014, Ukrainian surgeon Serhiy enlists to fight Russian military forces in the Donbass region, where he is captured by enemy soldiers. Now a prisoner of war, Serhiy is forced to witness horrifying scenes of humiliation and violence at the hands of the Russian invaders, his medical background co-opted to dispense mercy killings to the tortured. After his release, he returns to his comfortable middle-class apartment, still suffering from the trauma of his experiences. Looking inward, Serhiy tries to find a purpose in life by rebuilding his relationship with his daughter and ex-wife, learning how to be a human being again through being a father. Written, directed, produced, shot, and edited by acclaimed Ukrainian filmmaker Valentyn Vasyanovych, REFLECTION is a meticulously-composed depiction of pain - and redemption - that Variety called "one of the most intellectually provocative and rewarding films" of the 2021 Venice Film Festival.

"Recommended for large college collections, especially for those with an emphasis on war, psychology, trauma, and parenting. Recommended for mature audiences, especially those with an interest in current events. This is very relevant to events in Ukraine at this time. It would also be a very useful selection in ethics and philosophy classes; it presents some choices, and some responses to those choices, that would provoke discussion in the classroom." - EMRO

"Reflection is a startling depiction of what war is like and the toll it takes on not just the soldiers, but families waiting at home. It is a moving film that shows the merciless undertakings of war and how those in it have to struggle to regain their lives...Reflection is an excellent movie for those majoring in psychology. The film shows the reality of war and the post-traumatic stress disorder that originates from war." - Video Librarian

Cast

  • Roman Lutskyi
  • Andriy Rymaruk
  • Stanislav Aseyev
  • Oleksandr Danyliuk
DVD Features

Discs: 1

  • Highest Rating
    "A compelling statement on the horrors of armed conflict, specifically here the early days of the still-ongoing Russo-Ukrainian War."
    Jessica Kiang, Variety
  • Highest Rating
    "Critic's Pick! It would be a bracing, haunting work even if it weren’t so timely. "
    Ben Kenigsberg, The New York Times
  • Highest Rating
    "There are no easy answers in this thought-provoking film from Vasyanovych: another dark and disturbing watch with tiny glimmers of beauty."
    Anna Smith, Deadline Hollywood
  • Highest Rating
    "A remarkable work from a remarkable director who is perhaps still weighing up the demands of uncompromising rigour and those of accessibility."
    Jonathan Romney, Screen Daily
  • Highest Rating
    "There is a deeper, more nuanced story worked through here about betrayal and redemption, mercy and survival, all played out with great restraint thanks to Lutskiy’s subtle performance. "
    Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter
  • Highest Rating
    "A profound meditation on war, fate and belief."
    John Bleasdale, Dirty Movies
  • Highest Rating
    "A painful observation of a nation’s suffering through the microcosm of a singular protagonist. Vasyanovych has an ability goad us into disturbing but necessary contemplation past the final credits of a grueling, beautifully shot film."
    Nicholas Bell, Ion Cinema
  • Highest Rating
    "Mark my words: Vasyanovych is the real deal. His almost surrealist formalist approach to filmmaking is akin to the works of Swedish master Roy Andersson, sans humor, combined with the gravitas and emotional punch of Andrey Zvyagintsev. Reflection... is a truly impactful and impressive film."
    Dustin Chang, Screen Anarchy
  • Highest Rating
    "A poignant and poetic film."
    Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times

Gallery

Awards & Recognition

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