The Living Fire

"Set in the breathtaking Carpathian Mountains of Ukraine, The Living Fire is a captivating story of three shepherds, each at a different stage in his life. Living in a world bound by tradition, they reflect on the meaning of their own existence as the contemporary world begins to encroach on their remote community. Ten-year-old Ivanko must leave a carefree childhood behind as he transitions into adulthood. Thirty-nine-year-old Vasyl reflects on a youth lost as he toils with unforgiving daily labor. Ivan, at 82, is recently widowed, and reflects with gratitude on a life that was good when rooted to a bountiful land. As the snow begins to melt and spring approaches, all three men prepare to begin the difficult journey of following their sheep into the mountains, a journey that his been a part of their families for generations. But with the temptations of an easier contemporary life and the pressures of modernity, they find themselves caught between two worlds - and the struggle to maintain their way of life becomes increasingly difficult."
(Heather Haynes - Hot Docs)