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| Images courtesy of Ukrainian Films USA |
Ukrainian film director Katya Tsarik first emerged on the
music video scene in the 2010s having directed videos for Sati Kazanova,
Lyudmila Gurchenko, Anna Sedokova and more.
Sometime around 2021, she wrote and directed the short film Hold Me about
a lonely woman desperate for love wandering the streets looking for embracement
from any random stranger. Then following
the ongoing Ukraine invasion, she was involved in the 2023 television series Those
Who Stayed about the initial days of the invasion comprised of six
episodes. Around the same time, animation
directors Oleh Malamuzh, Oleksandra Ruban and Yevgeniy Yermak unveiled their
Ukrainian 3D animated fantasy film Mavka: The Forest Song, a fantasy
epic based on Lesya Ukrainka’s play The Forest Song. It became one of the highest grossing
Ukrainian films of all time and further entered the list of the twenty best
Ukrainian films in cinema history and further saw theatrical releases around
the world including the United States via Ukrainian Films USA.
A mythical forest creature depicted in Ukrainian folklore
and mythology, it tells the tale of long-haired temptresses almost like sirens
of The Odyssey who lure men to their deaths to siphon their life energy
and leave them comatose at the bottom of the water. Usually sporting flowers in their hair, the
Mavkas roamed the mountains and forests looking for men to tickle to
death. However, in what is now shaping
up to be the very first fully fledged feature film of Katya Tsarik in a film
cowritten by The Rising Hawk as well as Makva: The Forest Song screenwriter
Yaroslav Voytseshek, here is three years later the 2026 live-action scope
widescreen adaptation entitled Mavka: The True Myth. With aspects of the story and look of the
film updated to reflect modern times with a leaning towards the Twilight oriented
Young Adult novel film, the film rethinks the lore somewhat and has the vibe of
a teenage romantic horror fable that’s a bit sequel baiting but is nevertheless
a beautiful looking metaphysical supernatural thriller.
In the forest roam nymphs such as mavkas and carnivorous mermaids
who feed on the ‘defiled’ souls of men and women who supposedly took their own
lives out of heartbreak. Among the mavkas
is one who only refers to herself as Mavka (Arina Bocharova) who is tasked with
an important initiation: lure your first human into forest swamp for the mermaids’
taking. The trouble is, once actually on
the hunt and settling on Lukian (Ivan Dovzhenko) a biology student on an
expedition who has been tagged after breaking his ex-girlfriend Khrystyna’s (Anastasia
Iankova) heart, she begins developing romantic feelings for the boy. Showing her the way of the world including
forest creatures like a huge beetle that can fly, her previously carnivorous
thoughts of harming men begin to fade away, something the mermaids don’t take
kindly to and try desperately to interfere with if not precipitate a
breakup.
Largely bathed in dark nighttime blues illuminated by bright
blue-green waters with mysterious scantily clad nymphs seductively strutting their
way about the open waters trying to seduce and murder all men who cross paths
with the forest grounds, Mavka: The True Myth is very much Ukrainian
folklore for the Young Adult viewing audience.
Pretty much a teenage date movie packaged inside the Ukrainian folk tale
replete with fast frame dropping amid occasional high-speed photography for
slow motion effects, it looks scenic and inviting with the forest taking on a
kind of Avatar glittering shimmering effect. From the Earthy alluring costumes worn by the
mavkas designed by Kseniia Mozhar, lensed with finesse in 2.35:1 scope
widescreen by The Rising Hawk cinematographer Yura Korol and an ethereal
score again by Mavka: The Forest Song composer Dario Vero, the world of Mavka:
The True Myth is at once painterly and tranquil. Performances are generally good, particularly
our lead Arina Bocharova though the most committed performances go to the three
black-eyed mermaids who hiss and snarl their way through line readings, making
them most deliciously evil if not cartoonish villains.
Released in Ukraine and across theaters touring the United
States in the winter of 2026, Mavka: The True Myth in theory could be
characterized as a sort of live-action Disney remake of one of their own
animated properties ala 2023’s Mavka: The Forest Song. That said, it joins a growing list of one of
many Mavka screen adaptations to be made amid the ongoing war. In limited release before a hopeful eventual
streaming and/or disc release, Mavka: The Forest Song again feels like a
Twilight young adult romance between a human and a mythical creature of
the world. Looking at it as an outsider,
Mavka: The True Myth at times almost felt like a Young Adult Friday
the 13th film with its very own Camp Crystal Lake full of
bloodthirsty nymphs while dumb drunken if not horny men and women bumble about
before meeting their ends at the talons of the mermaids. Still, it was painterly and beautiful at
times with special emphasis on Ukrainian iconography near the finale that will
leave an impression on most viewers.
Also, there’s a post-credits scene hinting at another round of
mavka-mermaid shenanigans, so stay tuned for more!
--Andrew Kotwicki
