In October, the 21st Travelling Docudays UA took place in the Kirovohrad region. One of the most memorable events was the audience’s meeting with Karolina Uskakovych, director of the film Boots on the Ground, Hands in the Soil. Olena Mirkhaydarova, the festival's regional coordinator in the Kirovohrad region, shares her observations about the viewers’ discussion with the filmmaker.

Our viewers greatly enjoyed both the touching story in the film Boots on the Ground, Hands in the Soil and the sincere conversation with its director, Karolina Uskakovych.

The plot of the film turned out to be very close and familiar to our rural audience. People recalled the fragrance of a tomato garden, the unique taste of freshly picked tomatoes, and their family’s gardening stories. One viewer was so overwhelmed with emotions that she couldn't help but burst into tears. However, those were not inconsolable tears of grief – the woman shared memories of her late mother, who was fond of growing tomatoes, and told others about her not only with tears in her eyes, but also with a smile.

During the discussion of the film, the audience had numerous questions, which Karolina Uskakovych tried to answer in full: she talked about her life and shared her memories and plans for the future. In their turn, the viewers shared their emotions and positive feedback on the film.

We realized that the documentary could help bring the community closer. People didn't want to leave: they kept sharing family recipes for tomatoes and gardening secrets and exchanged contacts for further communication. Thus, a tomato, this seemingly ordinary vegetable, helps establish horizontal connections within the community thanks to the director's vision.

Author: Olena Mirkhaydarova, regional coordinator of the Travelling Docudays UA in Kirovohrad region.

The 21st Travelling Docudays UA is supported by the Embassy of Sweden in Ukraine, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Ukraine, and International Media Support. The opinions, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily reflect the views of respective governments or charitable organizations of these countries. The author(s) of this publication are solely responsible for its content.