Ukrainian Sheriffs
Dir. Roman Bondarchuk • 2015 • 85 min • Ukraine, Latvia, Germany • 16+
In the remote Ukrainian village of Stara Zburyivka where official law enforcement rarely visits, the head of the village has found an effective way to combat disorder. He has chosen and appointed two men – the smartest one and the strongest one – as sheriffs. Bearing shiny badges and driving a rickety Zhiguli, this law enforcement team heads to the next routine call – someone had two ducks stolen, a woman has been attacked by an anaconda, the resident homeless person has eaten his neighbour’s dog. Their regular routine is disrupted by news of war in the border region of nearby Crimea. Factions begin to rage in the village and draft-age men flee from conscription summons, but the head of the village does not lose faith in his fellow villagers’ ability to face hardship. Film director Roman Bondarchuk calls his work a tragi-comedy documentary and hopes that after the war a continuation of the film can be made.
The film was shown in more than 25 festivals worldwide. After the 2022 invasion the Russian Army tortured the head of the village from the film in an attempt to gain information about the resistance movement. He managed to escape and came to Latvia in 2023 to heal from his injuries and his traumatic experience. An exhibition dedicated to the film and the Kherson region will be on display at art station “Dubulti” from September 10th to October 1st.
Screening
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filmas.lv
8–13 Sep
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Jūrmala Culture Centre
Saturday 12 Sep
13:00
free entrance
