Ukrainian Filmmaker Zhanna Ozirna's "Honeymoon" Explores Intimacy Amid War

At the 40th edition of the Fribourg International Film Festival in Switzerland, "Honeymoon," a debut feature by Ukrainian filmmaker Zhanna Ozirna, stands out in the lineup of socially and politically engaged cinema. The film presents a chamber drama centered on a newly married couple trapped in their apartment as Russian forces advance on the Kyiv region at the onset of the 2022 invasion. Ozirna's approach diverges from traditional war narratives, focusing on the psychological impact of conflict on personal relationships rather than depicting combat directly.

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Ozirna's narrative is informed by real-life testimonies she encountered during the early days of the war, including harrowing accounts of families forced to hide for their safety. One particularly striking image of a family crawling across their apartment floor to avoid detection resonated deeply with her. Ozirna explains, “To crawl for days just to stay alive felt like something that goes against basic human dignity.” This emphasis on the intimate dynamics of a relationship under duress drives the film's narrative, as Ozirna sought to explore how fear and the instinct for survival reshape human connections.

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In crafting "Honeymoon," Ozirna was mindful of the ethical implications of portraying ongoing trauma. She opted not to cast actors who had experienced occupation firsthand, recognizing the potential for re-traumatization. “We understood very clearly that we could not ask that of them,” she stated. Additionally, the film deliberately avoids showing Russian soldiers on screen, instead using sound to convey their presence, which Ozirna describes as a conceptual choice to avoid oversimplifying or humanizing violence.

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As "Honeymoon" screens internationally, Ozirna reflects on the disconnect between those experiencing the war and audiences observing from a distance. She notes, “People abroad live their lives and that’s normal. But for us, it’s different. Sometimes I can’t plan even a few days ahead.” This sentiment underscores the film's aim to bridge the gap through fiction, allowing viewers to engage with the human cost of war on a more intimate level. Ozirna believes that while documentaries capture the realities of conflict, fiction can delve deeper into personal experiences, exploring intimacy and emotional responses in ways that resonate profoundly.

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• “To crawl for days just to stay alive felt like something that goes against basic human dignity.” — Zhanna Ozirna, Filmmaker

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• “I didn’t want to show the enemy in a simplified way, and I also didn’t want to humanize that violence in a way that felt false to me,” — Zhanna Ozirna, Filmmaker

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• “But fiction can explore something else by looking at intimacy, relationships, and how people really feel.” — Zhanna Ozirna, Filmmaker

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"Honeymoon" serves as a poignant exploration of love and resilience in the face of war, offering a unique perspective that prioritizes personal narratives over traditional depictions of conflict. Through her film, Zhanna Ozirna invites audiences to reflect on the intimate realities of those living through the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

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