CUBA & ALASKA

Many women have joined Ukraine’s Armed Forces to fight the enemy. Like men, they work in the most dangerous hotspots. They serve as paramedics, marines, snipers, platoon leaders, and commanders. According to the official Ukrainian source United24, 18,000 women are currently serving in the armed forces of Ukraine as civilians, 41,000 are holding military positions, and 5000 are fighting on the frontlines. Cuba and Alaska, the heroines of this documentary, make a realistic and honest depiction of what it means to be a woman at war.

When the full-scale invasion of Ukraine started two years ago, like many filmmakers, I took my camera to document the aggression and war crimes of Russia. I made reports from liberated Kyiv and Chernihiv regions, from besieged Kharkiv and Mykolaiv. One thought never left me — I wanted to make a film that, despite the sadness of war, would be life-affirming and not devoid of humour. I was thrilled to meet Cuba and Alaska. They were facing the war with a smile and turned their difficult life into a movie, by filming all the time. Sadly, what they have experienced over the course of the last two years, has affected them and the lighter tone of the film has vanished. Nevertheless, they are impressive in the resilience they show and the strength they find to continue the fight and hope for a life without war.

Because I’m using so much of the images and texts they create, I’m in a sense co-directing the with them, and this makes my documentary highly immersive. My role is to also look “behind the scenes”, and capture and convey emotions, creating for the viewer an echo chamber of reflection.

In “Cuba & Alaska” we see cheerful young women trying to enjoy their youth and live their lives fully. At the same time, they are surrounded by blood, suffering, destruction, and the endless sound of shelling. Together with its young heroines, I aim to show why this struggle for freedom is existential for us, the new generation of Ukrainians.

YEGOR TROYANOVSKY, director

I’ve known Yegor since film school and I’ve produced all his previous films. Although this is only his second feature-length documentary, I’m certain of his ability to tell this story, and of the empathy he shows when dealing with these two astonishing characters. 

OLHA BREGMAN, producer

I met Olha and Yegor at the IDFA Forum in November 2022. I was impressed by the energy of Cuba and Alaska, and by the profound message they can share with a wide audience. I knew I could bring my expertise in dramaturgy and international co-production to this project.

CHRISTIAN POPP, co-producer