We often admire films about love in Paris, about self-realization in New York, about finding a creative path in Berlin, because these and many other cities have become not just a backdrop for events, but full-fledged movie characters.
Such is Kyiv, which is capable of changing people, and itself is constantly changing. This city can describe many stories, share its memories of different eras, tell more about people than they can tell about themselves. Cut Insight reviewed more than a hundred full-length films shot in Kyiv, and selected ten of them that will make you fall in love with the Ukrainian capital.
Kyiv cake (2014)
Lisa won a green card and is heading to the USA. Between the sexy girl from Gaysin and the American dream there are only some 20 hours of waiting for a plane in Kyiv. And it is they who become decisive for Lisa.
A girl who came to the capital for the first time and had no intention of conquering it meets two local guys. Andrey and Pasha open up a world of incredible adventures and amazing events for Lisa in the most picturesque corners of Kyiv.
Chasing Two Hares (1961)
The frivolous barber Svirid Golokhvastov fell into debt. Borrowers are demanding their money back. Svirid decides to improve his financial situation with a profitable marriage. But the desire to marry the daughter of the local rich Proney and his love for the modest girl Gala force Golokhvosty to hunt “two birds with one stone.”
A significant part of the scenes of the cult film were filmed at the film studio itself. Dovzhenko, and location shooting took place, as expected from Staritsky’s play, in Podol, as well as on Mikhailovskaya and Kontraktova squares.
Single under contract (2014)
Youth rock bands with a cute lead singer and rhythmic songs have always been a hit with teenage girls. The lead singer of one of these groups, Slava Lebedev, became an idol for thousands of schoolgirls in just six months. But not for Lily, who lived in the USA for a year on an exchange program and does not know at all who is now the leader of the music ratings.
Newly-made lovers face many challenges. Their sympathy will be hampered by Slava’s popularity, a contract prohibiting the guy from any relationship, and many stereotypes about the life of rockers. But youthful love is capable of miracles.
Servant of the People 2 (2016)
Vasily Goloborodko has been heading the state for almost six months. But the situation in the country in no way contributes to the growth of popular trust in the president. The economic situation in the country has worsened, prices are rising, and the national currency is depreciating.
Goloborodko understands that if he does not take action soon, he may not even count on remaining in power. In such a difficult situation, the president decides to directly address the people and goes on an all-Ukrainian tour. The president is expected in Odessa, Lvov, Zaporozhye, Kyiv and Kharkov.
Kyevs girl (1958, 1960)
The dramatic film reveals the history of a Kiev family against the backdrop of historical events after the October Revolution and before November 7, 1957. Little Galya was born near Kiev in a small village. Her mother died during childbirth, and her father gave his life for the new power.
Galya was sheltered by another family, in whose traditions she was raised. Fighting spirit and strong character more than once played a role in the girl’s ups and downs in life. The girl firmly knows that you have to fight for happiness, and she will never give up in a difficult struggle for anything in the world.
Dead End (1998)
Having learned that his beloved did not wait for him and married someone else, the young guy deserts from the army. By chance, he meets a woman who works as a secretary at the “new Ukrainian”. He abuses his power to take advantage of her feminine charms.
The secretary, with the help of a deserter, blackmails the boss, demanding money from him. The easy success of the scam convinces them of the possibility of fraud with impunity. As a result, the young man finds himself between the mafia, the police, hired killers and the military registration and enlistment office, which is actively looking for him.
Wild Love (1993)
The picture, which understands the theme of emigration, shows the youth party of Kyiv in the early 90s, and also depicts a strange love triangle between Maxim, Masha and Susan.
Masha and Maxim are people from different worlds: he has a wealthy family, and she is a student of a boarding school. However, these two are passionately in love and are sure that they will get married immediately after graduation. And everything could have been exactly like this if Susan had not come to Kyiv. An American schoolgirl dreamed of seeing the house where her grandmother was born. As a result, Susan became Masha’s rival.
Farewell Doves (1960)
The film provides an opportunity to get acquainted with Kiev in the late 50s. Its filming took place almost entirely in the city – on Khreshchatyk, on October Revolution Square (Independence Square), in the Chkalovsky new buildings area on Aviation Street (now Antonova), on Lenin Boulevard (Chkalovsky Boulevard), on Umanskaya Street. And the residents of the neighborhoods themselves took part in the crowd scenes.
The melodrama tells about school worker Gena Sakhnenko, his tender feelings for nurse Tanya, his forced move and his passion for pigeons.
A Friend of the Deceased (1997)
Anatoly is a handsome, smart man, but something has gone wrong in his life. His wife left him, and he will not fit into modern life in the era of “wild capitalism”. Salvation comes when Anatoly meets his former classmate Dima, who successfully sells at a kiosk.
From this moment on, Anatoly’s life changes radically. It begins to resemble a movie, in which there are hired killers, and their victims, and even a child who calls Anatoly dad.
Route 7 (1997)
Poet Daniil Pritulyak works as a guide for foreigners. He conducts excursions around Kyiv along the route of iconic places in the life of a little-known poet. This fiction becomes a journey into the soul of Daniel himself. And Kyiv is one of the heroes of the film. The city streets complement the story told by Mikhail Ilyenko in his characteristic mosaic style.
Also, many impressive views of the Ukrainian capital can be found in films:
“Skinny” (1929), “Man with a Movie Camera” (1929), “The Plug Marries Tarapunka” (1957), “Young Years” (1959), “I Want to Believe” (1965), “Between High Loaves” (1970), “The Mechanical Adventures of Tarapunka and Shtepsel” (1971), “Sofya Grushko” (1972), “Before the Exam” (1977), “Make the Clown Laugh” (1984), “Disintegration” (1990), “Fleabag” (1990), “ Some up, some down” (1991), “Button” (2008), “Love me” (2013), “Hero of my time” (2018).
Previously, we wrote about the best films shot in modern Kyiv, as well as about the most impressive views of the Kyiv Dnieper in cinema.