Zachar Berkut

The story takes place in the first half of the 13th century on the western edge of the disintegrating Kyivan Rus. The film can be divided into three parts (half an hour each): the second part is perhaps the most interesting, reflecting the real historical situation of the collapse of early medieval family structures in favor of high medieval feudal relationships between lord and vassal. This part is also spiced up by the historically accurate "collaboration" of the emerging feudal class with the Tatar "occupiers." The third part is a straightforward and simple (but not bad) clash between defenders and attackers. Why didn't I start with the first part? Because it's unnecessary and, most importantly, the weakest of the three. It's half an hour dedicated to witnessing the birth of love between the daughter of a treacherous boyar and a heroic figure from the "Ukrainian" defenders' camp. This Tristan-esque motif is not further developed in any interesting ways and only serves to slow down the rest of the film. (20.06.2014)