THE STORY – A portrayal of the emotional state of the young Ukrainian family, which is struck by the outbreak of war on the last day of their vacation in Tenerife. Their return to Kiev turns out to be impossible.
THE CAST – Sofiia Berezovska, Roman Lutskyi, Anastasiia Karpenko & Fedir Pugachov
THE TEAM – Damian Kocur & Marta Konarzewska (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 102 Minutes
Under most circumstances, an extended holiday in a gorgeous location would be a dream. For the family at the center of “Under the Volcano,” the holiday is full of confusion, guilt, and uncertainty about the future. Director Damian Kocur’s drama, set at the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, highlights the personal toll of war, even for those not surrounded by bloodshed. This small-scale film, selected as the Polish submission for the 2024 Academy Award for Best International Feature, may get repetitive, but it’s no less compelling.
“Under the Volcano” begins with a lovely family vacation in the Canary Islands. The Kovalenko family explores the island of Tenerife, swimming and enjoying the beautiful sights. Just as their vacation begins winding down, the devastating news breaks: Russia has invaded Ukraine, their home country. Roman and Anastasiia (Roman Lutskyi and Anastasiia Karpenko), the dad and stepmom, get calls from family in Kyiv, who are desperately trying to escape or do anything in the face of the attack. Roman’s teenage daughter Sofiia (Sofiia Berezovska) FaceTimes with friends who don’t know what will happen next. And their youngest, Fedir (Fedir Pugachov), doesn’t seem to understand what’s happening but can feel the tension brewing.
Initially, the film takes on a bleakly comedic tone, highlighting the absurdity of their situation, almost as if from a Ruben Östlund picture. Other vacationers fill the hotel and have no reason to stop partying. They even form a conga line around the family as the Kovalenkos attempt to converse quietly. Soon, though, the humorous moments fall away altogether, and the tensions begin to take over. The family has no idea if their relatives and friends will be okay or if they’ll ever be able to return home. They’re trapped in a nightmare and surrounded by beauty everywhere they look.
Each of the four performers expertly sells the helplessness of the family. Anxiety is building, uncertainty is looming, and the family can’t simply act as if nothing is wrong. You can feel Roman and Anastasiia’s struggle to maintain composure for the kids and their struggle to remain honest. Yet the film takes Sofiia’s perspective more than theirs, giving Berezovska time to shine. She captures a vacant hopelessness, a longing to just not talk about it anymore, to play it cool. Berezovska holds those internal feelings just below the surface, letting them show just enough to make an impact. Throughout the entire film, this lingering, simmering uncertainty is a stark reminder of the personal effects of this war. Though there’s no bloodshed on screen in “Under the Volcano,” the ripples of the attacks are felt so deeply here.
Ultimately, being stuck on an island for the entire runtime leads to repetitive story beats. Though the film isn’t long, its story starts to run out of steam toward the end. Sofiia meets a boy, a migrant from Africa, who connects with her about the fear of never returning home. There are some poignant moments, but the connection feels tacked on and doesn’t bring much of a new perspective to the family’s story. Even so, it gives Berezovska more to chew on, and she delivers every time.
Nearly three years later, the Russian invasion of Ukraine doesn’t show signs of stopping anytime soon. Much like the conflict, “Under the Volcano” doesn’t end cleanly. The Kovalenko family doesn’t get to return to normalcy and pretends that this extended vacation never happened. The film basks in the uncertainty that remains for this family. It’s a painful conclusion, but it couldn’t have gone any other way. While the horrifying images of Russian aggression drive home the brutality of an unjust war, a story like “Under the Volcano” reminds us of the pain that will linger long after the conflict ends.
