Yulia

Watched first UK screening of Yulia, a film by Coppola Productions about the Ukrainian Prime Minister, last night.
(Director Jakov Sedlar)

The story of a working-class girl growing up in a single parent family in an industrial Ukrainian city, who becomes a billionaire in the 1990s, is imprisoned for corruption, emerges to lead a revolution and becomes prime minister and third most powerful woman in the world.

You want to know what makes her tick.

The great Russian director Alexander Sokurov said that he tries in his films to 'reduce distances' between human beings - and Sedlar succeeds in this intimate portrait told from Yulia's viewpoint.

I found the film's narration by Armand Assante overblown at times, especially at the end when he spoke of Yulia's 'woman's love for her country.' I would rather he had left Yulia to speak for herself - which she did superbly.

I shall be reviewing the film for Украiнска Думка the paper of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.