Don't Worry, the Doors Will Open

Over the din of screaming steel wheels and rattling passenger cars, Ukrainians sit silently with their thoughts and pray that the train won't break down before their destination. The tension and weariness on their faces reveals they're doing their best to retain a sense of normalcy in a country with a daunting neighbour and an unpredictable future. In this microcosm of post-Soviet society, working-class commuters travel to their jobs and vendors hawk their wares in the aisles. Windows won't open in stifling summer heat, while winter brings frost-covered seats, yet nothing stops these antiquated elektrychka trains that are constant reminders of a Russian presence. Rolling from the capital Kyiv to smaller provincial towns and the stations between, director Oksana Karpovych delivers a richly detailed first feature. The dynamic rhythms of the daily routines she observes depict her homeland at a crossroads, but like the trains, it always keeps moving forward.
(Alexander Rogalski - Hot Docs)