CIFF

Butterfly Vision

directed by
Maksym Nakonechnyi
Original Title
Bachennya metelyka
year
2022
country
Ukraine, Czech Republic, Croatia, Sweden
language
Ukrainian, Russian, English
runtime
107
closed captions
No
audio description
No
english subtitles
Yes

This debut feature from Maksym Nakonechnyi, is a sorrowful but rewarding and visually stunning drama about a female Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance officer (callsign “Butterfly”) who was recently released from Russian captivity and cannot shake the horrors of war as she readjusts to civilian life. —M.G.


Ukrainian aerial reconnaissance expert Lilia has returned to her homeland a national hero. The long-awaited homecoming to her mother and husband Tokha should be a sigh of relief, but the two months of captivity spent as a prisoner of war have left their painful mark. After discovering she’s pregnant at the hands of her prison guards, Lilia grapples with her agonizing steps forward. Pressure mounts from loved ones, and vivid flashbacks haunt her every move as Lilia navigates her unexpected new reality. In BUTTERFLY VISION, a raw story of bravery, devastation, and the unimaginable courage to go on, Lilia must choose the life she wants for her baby and how she will continue to fight for her own future. —A.B. 


Content Warning: This film contains material that may be difficult for some viewers. Viewer discretion is advised.

Ukrainian Cinema
Women of the World
Only at Playhouse Square
George Gund III Memorial Central and Eastern European Competition

Film Sponsors

Odesa International Film Festival

Community Partners

Ukrainian Museum-Archives