Songs of Slow Burning Earth
Songs of Slow Burning Earth
Russia invades Ukraine. People call emergency services in panic, not knowing what's afoot. There are explosions. Kyiv is on fire and people flee to safety. Initial shock slowly becomes daily wartime reality. Boys play soldier among burnt tanks; adults search for loved ones in mass graves. Children run to bomb shelters as if they’ve always done so. A bakery churns out bread to the rhythm of explosions. How does war change society? Can one adjust to it? Ukrainian director Olga Zhurba’s audiovisual mosaic, composed of images of places, distant dialogues, non-specific figures, sounds of battle and silence, captures the indomitable desire for a better future despite the war.
