"Close to the Heart" - Film + Discussion, Ukrainian Feature Film (2017, Subtitled)

On February 27, the Ukrainian feature film "Close to the Heart" (2017) will be screened in the council chamber of the Panketal Town Hall. The screening will be in Ukrainian with German subtitles. The film is set in 2014, at the beginning of the war in Eastern Ukraine. The story centers around former army member Serhiy Vitryuk, who decides to voluntarily return to the Ukrainian army due to difficult personal circumstances. When his unit is surrounded during combat, an unexpected encounter occurs that raises fundamental questions. "Close to the Heart" has only been shown once in Germany, as part of a film festival in Erfurt. The film provides a striking and unvarnished insight into the inner life of a former professional soldier who must confront existential questions after intense war experiences. The guest will be Ukrainian director Valentyn Myslyviy, deputy chairman of the Association of Ukrainian Filmmakers. He will represent the film's director, Valeriy Shalyha, who unfortunately cannot attend the event.