LOOKING FOR CO-PRODUCERS
THERE IS NO HERO WITH NO MISTAKES
The lives of thousands may depend on the inner struggle of one man. What will prevail in the mind of convinced communist Yakiv Drobot—ideology or humanity? Will he sacrifice his own people on the altar of industrialisation?
STORY
Based on a true story from the early years of the Soviet state, this film is about Yakiv Drobot, a charismatic local communist leader who achieves a high standing in the party after establishing the first collective farm in his village. In pursuit of the high purpose of establishing a modern and just society, he finds himself becoming a part of the state machine, conducting cold-blooded genocide by famine. He risks his life and rebels against the system, saving almost 3,000 lives of his fellow villagers.
THEME
The main theme of the film is desacralization of sacrifice. ‘Yakiv’ is an ode to resistance; story of the inner rebellion. It’s about the banality of evil and the consciousness of victim. About the victory of humanity over ideology.
SYNOPSIS 1928. UKRAINE. AN AVID COMMUNIST YAKIV DROBOT ASSERTS THE COMMUNIST AUTHORITIES IN HIS VILLAGE. HE BECOMES THE HEAD OF THE VILLAGE COUNCIL AND GETS EVEN WITH THE OPPONENTS OF COLLECTIVIZATION.
He accuses the successful farmers of betrayal and sends them to prison. Having confiscated their property, Yakiv creates a collective farm named The Have-Nots. He draws people to the collective farm using physical tortures and incorporating their households. Still, creating the collective farm is not enough, it is necessary to run it, Yakiv has not been taught how to do that growing up in a poor family. The collective farm declines. Yakiv decides to release two of his opponents out of jail, on the condition that they will help him to manage the farm. The risky affair brings Yakiv success: The Have-Nots becomes the best collective farm in the area. Meanwhile, the forcible collectivization provokes resistance and rebellion among the population. Aware of that, Stalin publishes Dizzy with Success article destroying the reputation of the executives of his own orders and whitening his own name. The planned uprisings lose its sense as the authorities demonstratively sacrifice their representatives: some are being sent to Siberia, and Yakiv is no longer the head of the village council. But he still is the head of the collective farm. 1932. The famine - the consequence of the collectivization and the policies of the Soviet government - spreads more and more. Yakiv's wife falls asleep on the train and misses her stop. In search of his wife, Yakiv goes through the villages devastated by the famine and witnesses a cannibalism scene. Yakiv will never be the same again. Risking his own life, he leads a double game: he lies to the representatives of the communist government and secretly negotiates with the port of Odessa on bartering the collective farm potatoes for fish. When in the port, he notices the ships with Ukrainian grain, tonnes of which are being loaded for export while people die massively. Yakiv provides the village school with food and saves the local children. However, despite all their efforts, the food reserves are not enough to hold on to the next harvest. But Yakiv manages to save nearly 3000 people from hunger.
BASED ON REAL STORY The Great Soviet Famine of 1932-1933 — one of the most horrific events of 20th century Caused by Stalin’s totalitarian policies, including food deprivation campaigns, it decimated Ukraine’s population killing millions (estimates vary from 3 up to 10 million) and left deep scars in the consciousness of future generations. Next year will see 85th anniversary of the Famine, which is recognized as a genocide by 24 UN countries.
Reference for MOTRIA
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the wife of Yakiv
YAKIV DROBOT — protagonist prototype
Yakiv Drobot (1902–1943) — real historycal person. The head of the collective farm in Velyky Khutir village in Central Ukraine, who saved all his fellow villagers, when millions were dying around.
RECREATING HISTORY Guided by archives we aim to create authentic costumes, props, agricultural machinery, and locations, such as 1930s village, railroad station, and seaport.
One of Ukraine's leading film companies, producing high-quality films, TV series, documentaries, and shorts for over 15 years. Our films participated in numerous festivals, including Rotterdam, Warsaw, Leipzig, Palm Springs, Chicago, and Shanghai. 2 our film were Ukraine’s Oscar submissions. THE GUIDE by Oles Sanin set domestic box office record for Ukrainian film. We have experience in co-production with USA, Canada, Australia, Poland, Germany and other countries. Professional script development program. The first Ukrainian project in the script development program.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR CO-PRODUCERS, INVESTORS, AND CREATIVE PARTNERS TO JOIN US IN CREATING HISTORICAL DRAMA ABOUT UKRAINIAN HOLOCAUST.
OUR TEAM
Director
Producer
Composer
Victoria Trofimenko
Maxim Asadchiy
Sviatoslav Luniov
Director with a strong vision and passion, for her debut feature Victoria adapted the novel of Swedish classic Torgny Lindgren. The resulting film, Brothers. The Final Confession (2013) was selected to 3 class A festivals, and received many international prizes.
Owner of Pronto Film since 2004, Maxim has been producer/executive producer at more than 30 films and TV series. Co-founder of Film Industry Association of Ukraine, he has Ukrainian national TV award “Teletriumph” for the best producer of TV Film/Series.
Visionary Ukrainian composer, Stanislav already worked with Victoria on Brothers. This year, his music performance “Witness,” dedicated to the commemoration of Babyn Yar tragedy, has received Cannes Lion award, for the first time for Ukrainian project.
CONTACT US
Maxim Asadchiy
Sashko Chubko
maxim@pronto.kiev.ua +38 (067) 465-02-12
sashko@pronto.kiev.ua +38 (095) 576-77-43