Friendship and Strength in the Documentary Film "Cuba and Alaska"
This is not a script line; it’s the reality of two Ukrainian paramedics that inspired a new documentary film.
On August 12, a pre-premiere screening of the film "Cuba and Alaska" took place at the "Zhovten" cinema in Kyiv — a film about war recorded without scripts or embellishments. Directed by military serviceman and documentarian Yegor Troyanovsky, the film invites viewers to see the war through the lenses of body cameras and GoPros held by the heroines themselves.
The story centers on two friends and combat sisters, paramedics Yulia "Cuba" Sidorova and Oleksandra "Alaska" Lysytska. They are not actresses or fictional characters; they are real women saving the wounded at the front, often risking their own lives.
The film does not attempt to romanticize war. Instead, it offers a raw truth encapsulated in 80 minutes of documentary footage. Viewers see events from within: body cameras, mobile phone videos, Telegram messages — all create an immersive effect where the line between the viewer and the front is blurred.
Director Troyanovsky met the heroines while working as a military journalist. He was not looking for a war film; he was searching for stories and found one in "Cuba" and "Alaska." Their charisma, friendship, and strength were so striking that he wanted to follow them. This is how the idea for the film was born.
Operators could not join combat missions due to safety concerns, so the frontline videos in the film are recordings made by the heroines themselves. In contrast, scenes of civilian life, creativity, and daily routines are captured by a professional film crew.
Troyanovsky created a film of contrasts: life and death, humor and tragedy, loss and recovery. This is a film about war, but also about friendship, art, humanity, and the strength that sustains us even in the darkest times.
"Cuba and Alaska" is a co-production of Ukraine, France, and Belgium, and has already won the Jury Prize and Audience Award at the Brussels International Film Festival.
The film's editing deserves special mention — compiled from various shooting formats, it still appears cinematic while maintaining the intensity of live documentary footage.
For Yulia "Cuba," this film is not just about service; it’s a way to preserve the memory of her fiancé who died in the war. After the pre-premiere, viewers could not hold back their tears. Many call the film a "must-see." This is not hyperbole.
"This is not just a film. It’s the truth about war, about fear, about love," says one viewer. Today, August 14, the film is being released nationwide in Ukraine.
