Maksym Uvaiev comes from the city of Zhytomyr. He describes himself as a "simple guy from Ukraine". For him, film is a form of inner expression – he wants the content he creates to encourage deeper reflection and help those who, like him, had plans and dreams that they were forced to abandon in the face of full-scale Russian aggression.
Maksym took part in this year's Erasmus+ student mobility. It was during his stay in Bulgaria that he came up with the idea of creating a documentary film that would clearly illustrate the realities of everyday life for Ukrainians forced to leave their homeland as a result of the war.
The process was really exciting! At first, we thought that the best way to learn was to work on a real project, so I proposed making a documentary. My proposal was met with support. I worked on this project for a month online and three months in Bulgaria
– says Maksym Uvaiev.
He turned to the Bulgarian production studio Film Fixers Balkans for help in creating the material. It was there that the work on his first documentary started.
The first month was about adapting to the Bulgarian sun, finding locations to shoot, meeting the characters and shooting. But the next two months were devoted to computer work: editing, searching for archival materials, music and preparing the film for screening at film festivals. Of course, I spent weekends in the mountains around Sofia, admiring nature as well as the calming and refreshing landscapes
– Maksym recalls the process of creating the material.
He assesses his experience with film production positively:
Thanks to this experience, I have not only created a film but also gained a lot of professional skills. This summer was not only a professional summer for me, but also a very personal one, because the film I have worked on deals with a topic that is extremely important to me.
The material is a powerful lesson on the pointlessness of human suffering in the face of personal tragedies and dilemmas. Awareness of the situation our neighbours across the eastern border are facing encourages not only understanding and support for the victims, but also the formation of our own thoughts and questions.
Film by Maksym Uvaiev "Clear Mind".
Source: International Relations Office, University of Lodz
Edit: Marcjanna Jagielska, Communications and PR Centre, University of Lodz