A mysterious stranger arrives in a quiet village in central Ukraine and quickly becomes part of a strange story filled with love, betrayal, secrets and supernatural events. This is the setup of Demons, the latest film from writer and director Natalka Vorozhbyt, best known for her work on Bad Roads. The film is set to have its world premiere at the 79th Locarno Film Festival on August 13.
The story follows Slavik, a homeless drifter from Russia who arrives in the remote village carrying a mysterious past. Although he initially appears to be just a stranger looking for a place to stay, the character has a deeper symbolic meaning. According to the filmmaker, Slavik represents Russia.
Soon after arriving, Slavik meets Nina, a strong and independent woman who is much older than him. Nina represents post Soviet Ukraine and the country’s struggle for independence. She decides to take Slavik into her home, creating an unusual relationship between the two characters.
At first, their connection appears to be an unexpected love story. Nina and Slavik come from very different backgrounds, but they slowly become close. However, their relationship does not remain simple for long. As they spend more time together, affection begins to turn into mistrust and betrayal.
The village itself also becomes an important part of the story. It is not presented as an ordinary rural community. Instead, it has its own strange rules and secrets. Witches are said to live nearby, while the dead can sometimes communicate with the living. These unusual elements give the film a dark and mysterious atmosphere.
Vorozhbyt has explained that Demons works on several levels. Beyond the personal relationship between Nina and Slavik, the film also carries a political meaning. Their relationship is intended as a metaphor for the complicated and painful relationship between Russia and Ukraine.
The trailer offers glimpses of the film’s unusual world, including traditional food, graves, violence, blood and even a flying vehicle. These images suggest that the movie will mix realistic drama with surreal and supernatural moments.
The cast includes Ruslana Pysanka, Aleksey Mitin, Tatiana Stepanova, Ruslan Garmash and Mykola Ponomarenko. Volodymyr Ivanov serves as cinematographer, while Milenia Fiedler and Andriy Gulyanych handle the editing.
International sales for the film are being handled by Celluloid Dreams. With its unusual story, political symbolism and mix of reality and fantasy, Demons looks set to be one of the more distinctive films at this year’s Locarno Film Festival.
Rather than offering a straightforward political drama, Vorozhbyt appears to use a strange relationship and a mysterious village to explore deeper ideas about identity, independence, conflict and the lasting impact of the past.