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Two Ukrainian boys’ summer unfolds just miles from the frontlines

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In Clear Sky, Vova, 12, and Roma, 14, move through the kinds of aimless days you might expect from two early-adolescent boys nearing the end of their summer break. They swim, bike, play with toy guns, attempt to clean cars for a bit of extra cash, and, of course, get into some mischief. However, living in Kramatorsk, Ukraine – a city that’s just miles from the frontlines of the Russo-Ukrainian War and often under heavy bombardment – destruction and the threat of invasion, or even death, suffuse every moment. In his powerful film, the Polish director Marcin Kundera provides an observational window into their world. In a series of cinematic shots, he skilfully frames Vova and Roma’s late-summer days with the reality of the uncertain, chaotic and violent moment in which it’s unfolding. Through this structure, the film forms a complex meditation on the concept of freedom.

Director: Marcin Kundera

Website: 99

2 April 2025
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