14-24 nov 2024
InstituteFestivalProfessionals
EN/NL
Donate
Loading...
MyIDFA
Real

Real

Oleh Sentsov
Ukraine, Croatia
2024
90 min
Dutch Premiere
Paradocs
Synopsis

Ukrainian director Oleh Sentsov was arrested on trumped-up charges in May 2014 following the Russian annexation of Crimea. He was sentenced to 20 years, but was released in 2019 as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine. When Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Sentsov enlisted with Ukrainian forces, and started using a camera on his helmet to film the conflict.

It is during one of these battles that the combat vehicle Sentsov is traveling in is destroyed by the Russians, and he finds himself trapped in a nearby trench, using radio communications to organize an evacuation. The film’s title Real comes from the code name for this mission, but also references the realness of the war footage—Sentsov delivers 90 intense minutes in the trench in real time.

We mostly follow conversations about logistics, with Sentsov attempting to work out where the enemy is located, where they can get ammunition from, and where his men can go. The fighting takes place outside the frame, but the noises of war pervade the film.

Read more
Credits
90 min
color
DCP
Spoken languages: Ukrainian
Director
    Oleh Sentsov
    Oleh Sentsov
Production
    Denis Ivanov for Arthouse Traffic,
    Oleh Sentsov for Cry Cinema
    Denis Ivanov for Arthouse Traffic,
    Oleh Sentsov for Cry Cinema
Co-production
    Boris T. Matic for Propeler film,
    Mike Downey
    Boris T. Matic for Propeler film,
    Mike Downey
Cinematography
    Oleh Sentsov
    Oleh Sentsov
Editing
    Oleh Sentsov
    Oleh Sentsov
Screening copy
    Arthouse Traffic
    Arthouse Traffic

Stills

0
0
0
More from the program section Paradocs
Pushing the limits of the documentary form, Paradocs showcases the year’s experimental documentary art.
View program section
7 Walks with Mark Brown

7 Walks with Mark Brown

Vincent Barré, Pierre Creton
2024
105 min