"La Palisade": Ukrainian film with a scandalous subtext and a chance for an Oscar

"La Palisade" is in the running for an Oscar

In the film world, there was news that caused a wide resonance: the Ukrainian film "La Palisade" has every chance of becoming a nominee for the Oscar-2025 award. The film's producer, Valeriya Sochivets, shared the team's thoughts and behind-the-scenes details of this ambitious film project.

Team confidence and unexpected decisions

The creative team of "La Palisade" was so confident in its abilities that it even considered the possibility of withdrawing its candidacy in favor of another, more relevant film for Ukraine. According to Sochivets, the documentary film "Peaceful People" could get this chance because of its informational importance in the conditions of war.

"We were sure that we would pass, that's why we even thought as a team to remove our candidacy from this race. But we didn't take part, because our film is very well known abroad, " says Valeriya Sochivets.

The theme of the death penalty in post-Soviet noir

"La Palisade" is a post-Soviet noir that immerses the audience in the 90s, when Ukraine abandoned the death penalty. Director Philip Sotnychenko chose this period because of its historical significance and corruption background.

"We shot on a special mini dv camera, which just appeared in 1996. We searched for clean cassettes all over the world, " Sochivets notes.

Trigger moments and interesting details of creation

One of the unique features of the film was the use of old cameras and cassettes for the authenticity of the image. In addition, the Ukrainian dubbing by the voice of one woman creates an atmosphere that takes us back to those times.

Conclusions and perspectives

The production of the film took five years, but this long journey paid off. "La Palisade" has already received recognition at international festivals and reviews from foreign critics. The world premiere took place at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, and the Ukrainian premiere took place at the Kyiv Critic's Week.

Editor: Emiliia Morozova