“Mavka: guardian of the forest”, fascinating drawings from Ukraine

Today, it would be easy to support the film because it simply comes from Putin-bombed Ukraine. Let’s say because of the smallest feeling of solidarity. It is true that this is a seven-year-old project, just as it is true that post-production caught part of the crew depressed by Russian missiles working from air-raid shelters and far from their homes… With added stress, this fear represents not being able to arrive on time and that all the invested money goes to waste due to the imperialist delusions of the Tsar of Moscow and his indiscriminate launching of missiles at civilian targets.

fortunately, Mavka: guardian of the forest appears on international screens — it was a blockbuster domestically — to confirm the good moment of European animation, able to show its face without blushing in front of multinationals that pay their salaries in dollars. At least it’s comparable in terms of formal resolution, producing strong and competitive images. Some might object that the film returns to the script about the forest and its circumstances. Well, perfect, but you should also know that it is never superfluous to return to the many values ​​that this natural environment represents. In this case, the film is based on the song song of the forest (1911), of the Ukrainian writer Lesya Ukrajinka (1871-1913), a reference in her literature.

Produced by the national company Animagrad — which in 2018 became known for its intentions Enchanted princessco-director Oleh Malamuzha here along with newcomer Aleksandra Ruban—, his storytelling methods are classical, and his inspiration seems close to the most traditional Disney with its universe of fairies, its Manicheanism, its sentimental component and its ultimate morality, a predictable hymn to a universe growing among the undergrowth , with a happy addition to the alien original by a Ukrainian woman.

If the human being is presented as a predator and destroyer, Mavka will have to overcome many barriers and prejudices in order to materialize her love for a young villager who is an aspiring singer. In the middle, evil on duty, a wide catalog of well-resolved secondary characters, grateful exotic touches, occasional musical themes and the inevitable Color in Colorado. Yes, it’s worth it.

«MAVKA. FOREST SONG»

Ukraine, USA, 2023.

Directed by: Aleksandra Ruban and Oleh Malamuzh.

Screenplay: Yaroslav Voytseshek and Jeffrey Hylton.

Music: Maksym Berezhnyak, Dakha Brakha and Dario Vero.

Animation.

90 minutes.