17 little mischief-makers from different corners of Ukraine help adult director Katya find her lost home.
A Ukrainian director from Sevastopol, Crimea, having fled from the war for the second time, finds herself in a foreign city across the Ukrainian border in March 2022. Despite having all the conditions for development, a good life and easy adaptation in a European country, she cannot really grasp the tragedy of war and start afresh.
Analyzing social media, the director Kateryna understands that the complex issues brought by war trouble the majority of adults. In our film, all these questions are answered by little Ukrainians.
On the seventh month of the war, Kateryna begins observing the children of Ukraine. They are different: fearless, without unnecessary questions, without heavy thoughts. The kids continue to live and easily adapt to new conditions.
The director embarks on a month-long journey. She travels 8525 kilometers and speaks with 17 children of Ukraine. With childlike innocent eyes, Kateryna looks at the world of adults. She does it through the eyes of kids who also experience the war but do not feel like victims, they find something good even in terrible things.
“I love air raids, I enjoy gathering here with everyone, playing, and eating cookies!”
— Vira, 6 years old, Irpin.
She gives children a chance to "express themselves”. During the interviews, conversations often transition from important adult topics to humorous ones, where children even recommend treating depression with oranges or walks.
“When there was no electricity at home, we could play, go outside and dance.”
— Milana, 6 years old, Kyiv.
And sometimes the dialog delves into quite intimate details, like first love during the war. But these delicate topics are almost understood without words.
“Yes, I like it here, but I really want to go home. I miss my father, my home... my homeland. I really want to go to my country, I really want to be with my father.”
— Arina, 10 years old, temporarily residing in Vienna.
After 17 warm conversations, it becomes clear that neither we, the grown-ups, nor the children know when the war will end and how we will return to a peaceful world. But from the sincere talks of children, their advice, and their complete confidence in a bright, flourishing future of Ukraine where Crimea and Donbas belong to us, warmth fills our hearts. Because who are we not to believe the kids?
Today, due to the war initiated by Russia, many adults still struggle to accept the tragedy that has befallen Ukraine and adapt to their new lives. As the director of this film, I know that with the help of children's light-hearted worldview, our team can inspire adults to rediscover new meanings in life that were lost to some extent after February 24th.
Secondly, I am convinced that this film serves as a high-quality audiovisual source for future generations. I want this powerful story to be referenced as an archive. It collects numerous children's thoughts, experiences, and honest, sometimes shocking stories from different corners of Ukraine.
I want to emphasize that there has been a recent spread of pro-Russian narratives suggesting that Europe and the world are starting to "being tired" of Ukraine. But we must always remember where the truth lies! Our film reveals it. Today, we are not only fighting for ourselves; we are fighting for global democracy. Our men and women are taking up arms to defend not only Ukraine but the entire civilized world, so that tomorrow the youth of Europe won't have to bear these weapons in their hands. "Tomato, Big cake and Victory " will become a historical archive that will remind future generations worldwide of the tragedy caused by dictatorship and autocracy.
Children's perception of the world helps adults find the meaning in life.
The team behind the film "Tomato, Big cake and Victory " is comprised of 100% Ukrainian citizens. Many members of the team are experiencing war for the second time in their young lives, instigated by Russia. For the second time, they have to rebuild their lives from scratch and find new meanings of existence.
Therefore, as a team, we wholeheartedly believe in this sincere, authentic, and warm project that will have a positive impact on the psychological well-being of the adult population in Ukraine. It will also leave its mark in history, ensuring that this tragedy will never be repeated for the third time.
The film features 17 heroes, who are children from different parts of Ukraine, ranging in age from 3 to 14 years old. These children have diverse experiences of war; some have lived through occupation, while others fled on the first day of the war.
Some of the children reside in Ukraine, some in Europe, and some have returned from their homes. We deliberately chose these children with different experiences of perceiving war to showcase the global understanding of war from various perspectives.
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Maria, 11 years old, lives near Kyiv
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![Nikita, 9 years old, Kherson]()
Nikita, 9 years old, Kherson
(temporary residence in Dortmund)
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![Melanka, 10 years old, Kyiv]()
Melanka, 10 years old, Kyiv
(temporary residence in Vienna)
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![Dasha, 10 years old, Mykolaiv]()
Dasha, 10 years old, Mykolaiv
(temporary residence in Geinburg)
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Sofia, 13 years old, Kryvyi Rih
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Kolya, 10 years old, Kyiv
(lived in Donetsk for up to 2 years)
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![Ostap, 3 years old, Ivano-Frankivsk]()
Ostap, 3 years old, Ivano-Frankivsk
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Marusya, 12 years old, Kyiv
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![Eva, 9 years old, Kyiv]()
Eva, 9 years old, Kyiv
(temporary residence in Warsaw)
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Mila, 7 years old, Kyiv
(family from Donbas)
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![Matviy, 12 years old, Kryvyi Rih]()
Matviy, 12 years old, Kryvyi Rih
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![Arina, 12 years old, Kyiv]()
Arina, 12 years old, Kyiv
(temporary residence in Vienna)
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![Vira, 6 years old, Irpin]()
Vira, 6 years old, Irpin
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![Marta, 11 years old, Kyiv]()
Marta, 11 years old, Kyiv
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![Artem, 7 years old, Shyroke village, Kryvyi Rih district]()
Artem, 7 years old, Shyroke village, Kryvyi Rih district
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![Eva, 9 years old, Mykolaiv]()
Eva, 9 years old, Mykolaiv
(temporary residence in Neuss)
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![Danylo, 5 years old, Kyiv]()
Danylo, 5 years old, Kyiv
(temporary residence in Warsaw)
We are creating a film that is entirely based on interviews with children and archival materials of both the children and the adults. Our documentary film is a harmonious combination of materials preserved on the phones of Ukrainians, film cameras, and other devices during the war.
Throughout the film, we hear the voice of the narrator, who guides us from beginning to end. The interviews with the children are intertwined with her voice, creating a unique impression of dialogue with the young Ukrainians.
An original musical score will be specially created for the film by a composer from Kyiv.
Target audience:
Age: 25-35, predominantly women;
Documentary film enthusiasts interested in social issues;
Young parents and established couples;
Cinephiles who frequently use streaming platforms, seeking fresh content;
Their leisure activities include:
Watching movies;
Attending festivals and street fairs;
Visiting contemporary theaters and museums;
Their reading and social media scrolling preferences include:
Ukrainska Pravda, Vector, Forbes, Medium, Reddit;
Telegram and Instagram accounts of friends with similar interests and values;
Secondary target audience:
Fans of documentary and street-style photography;
Individuals curious about psychology;
Both the primary and secondary target audiences are willing to pay for tickets to documentary film screenings.
Contacts
Director: Kateryna Tiuri
Email: katetiuri@gmail.com
Tel: +380663620992
Producer: Mariia Felenko
Email: mariiafelenko@gmail.com
Tel: +380985685415