fiction series
Based on a true story
Early ХХ century. Russian Empire, Crimea. Young Tina Izbytska, one of the daughters of a wealthy Polish landowner, ebraces Ukrainian language, songs, and culture in general because of Ukrainian servants. Such an interest isn’t so popular in the then Russified Crimea, and Tina is nearly expelled from the aristocratic girls school.
Later this interest grows into love – despite the family’s denial, fifteen-year old Tina marries a Ukrainian. Moreover, following her husband, she soon joins the Ukrainian army to fight for the UNR (Ukrainian National Republic), thus shocking her Polish family and enfeebling her mother.
At first Tina hides being a woman, and fights under a male name. But when the secret is uncovered, Tina is also forced to fight for a woman’s place alongside the men at war.
Meanwhile Tina’s husband switches to the other side, the Bolsheviks. She gets her divorce, while he executes his revenge by getting her captured. Tina holds under torture and gets out, back to the army.
In the army, she meets her true love, commander Ivan Pekarchuk, and becomes Kharytyna Pekarchuk. The couple desperately fights together for the nascent Ukrainian state. In one of the battles, Kharytyna is shell-shocked and gets heavily injured, losing the ability to fight in the war.
For her bravery and dedication, Kharytyna Pekarchuk is awarded with the Order of the Golden Cross, and she becomes the first woman to receive Ukrainian state honors in the 20th century.
In the series, the story will be presented through recollections of elderly Kharytyna Pekarchuk who is visited in a nursing home by her younger sister Ada.
PROJECT TEAM
ARKADIY NEPYTALIUK, scriptwriter
Director, scriptwriter, professor, member of the National Union of Filmmakers of Ukraine and the Ukrainian Film Academy
Select filmography:
Blood Sausage (2016), short film. Awards: “Scythian Deer” for best national short film at Kyiv IFF Molodist; “Golden Dzyga” for best national short film; participation in numerous international film festivals.
Pryputni (2017), feature film. Awards: special mention of the national competition jury at Odesa IFF; Best Director award at International festival of Red Cross and Health Films, Varna, Bulgaria; Golden Dzyga award for best female supporting role
Int. Kitchen. Night (2018), short film. Selected for the competition program of the 28th Cottbus film festival.
11 Children from Morshyn (2018), feature film
I budut lyudy (2021), series. Broadcast on STB TV channel (Ukraine), on TV channels in Poland, Estonia, South Korea, and others. Nomination for Golden Dzyga 2021
OLESYA LUKYANENKO, producer
Education:
Karpenko-Kariy National Film, Theatre, and Television University; film studies
National University Kyiv Mohyla Academy; master in journalism.
Select filmography:
Butterflies (2014), series. Shown: Inter, STB channels, international distribution. Teletriumf award 2014 for best mini series.
Hrechanka (2015), series. Shown: Inter channel, international distribution. Highest rated TV series of 2015 in Ukraine. Teletriumf award 2015 for best TV series
Papa Dan (2017), series. Shown: STB, over 1 mln views per each episode on YouTube
Hide and Seek (2019), series. Shown: STB (slot leader), wide international distribution (international distributor ZDFE)
I budut lyudy (2020), series. Shown: STB, international distribution, nearly 2 million views per each episode on YouTube