My family moved out of Mariupol in mid-2021. We lived in between the Drama Theater and maternity hospital, across from the University. We sometimes sat outside at Coffee Racer cafe next to the hospital, drank coffee, and watched people strolling along Miru Ave.
My mother stayed behind in Mariupol. Despite the ominous warnings, nobody really expected a full-scale invasion with bombs and artillery. She lived directly across the street from hospital #2, which is where the filmmakers hid through much of the movie. The area all along Kuprina St, adjacent to the hospital and small church, sits at the very western edge of the city, which took the brunt of the attacks approaching from Crimea direction. Mom eventually made it out after 70 days, barely.
None of my family will watch this movie except me. Everything is too close and too familiar. One thing the movie does not show is how vibrant and thriving this same city had been prior to 2/24/22. It seems surreal to see your old comfortable neighborhood get intentionally destroyed on international news. To be honest, the Russians were so jealous of Mariupol that they tried to murder it. They cannot get away with this.
This is a story that absolutely needs to be seen and heard - without any sugar-coating - as painful as it may be.
My mother stayed behind in Mariupol. Despite the ominous warnings, nobody really expected a full-scale invasion with bombs and artillery. She lived directly across the street from hospital #2, which is where the filmmakers hid through much of the movie. The area all along Kuprina St, adjacent to the hospital and small church, sits at the very western edge of the city, which took the brunt of the attacks approaching from Crimea direction. Mom eventually made it out after 70 days, barely.
None of my family will watch this movie except me. Everything is too close and too familiar. One thing the movie does not show is how vibrant and thriving this same city had been prior to 2/24/22. It seems surreal to see your old comfortable neighborhood get intentionally destroyed on international news. To be honest, the Russians were so jealous of Mariupol that they tried to murder it. They cannot get away with this.
This is a story that absolutely needs to be seen and heard - without any sugar-coating - as painful as it may be.