TY MENE LUBYSH?

2023 / 90 min/ color

Kiev, one year before the collapse of the Soviet Union. 17-year-old Kira dreams of becoming an actress. In these difficult times, when almost everyone is scheming and hustling to survive, Kira’s parents can afford to throw a lavish party, serving valuable “goodies” from the West, such as chewing gum, a pack of Marlboros or a can of Pepsi. But even amongst the upper middle class there’s a sense of impending change. For Kira, portrayed evocatively by Karyna Khymchuk, entering adulthood will turn out to be particularly painful. As the country she’s always known as home falls apart, so does her family. A deeply confused Kira decides to take a desperate step and is saved from the worst by Misha, a paramedic in his twenties; getting to know him becomes a chance for her to make a new start. Ukrainian director Tonya Noyabrova’s second film is a partly autobiographical coming-of-age story set against a backdrop of massive political upheaval. Noyabrova meticulously recreates an era coming to an end, and it coincides with the end of her protagonist’s childhood. Do You Love Me? is a story about the difficult journey towards independence, in every sense of the word.