Filming of Pulse sports feature started in Kyiv

In Kyiv, filming of Pulse sports feature directed by Sergii Chebotarenko started.

The movie plot is based on a real story of Oksana Boturchuk, Ukrainian track-and-field athlete, 2008 Paralympics champion, five-time silver and bronze winner of summer Paralympics in 2008, 2012 and 2016. The film produced by Kinorob will be widely released in Ukraine in early 2020.  

What the film is about: This is a story of a young Ukrainian track-and-field athlete who lives in a small town and has a big dream – to participate in the Olympiad. Her sports career is only starting but due to a terrible car accident the girl sustains grave injuries and almost loses her eyesight. It seems that now Oksana has no chance not only for the coveted Olympics but also for normal life. However, the girl is not planning to give up and instead aims to prove that there are no obstacles on the way to a real dream.

“For me this film is special. Not because it is a debut but because it is really a story I’ve been searching for a very long time. Five or six years ago I decided which genre to choose and started looking for a really fascinating story to motivate people and give them hope,” says Sergii Chebotarenko, Pulse director. “And when producer Egor Olesov and I bumped into the story of Oksana Boturchuk this became like a gift from above for me because I couldn’t find anything no matter how much I searched intentionally in this direction. So when this finally happened I immediately went to Dnipro to meet Oksana, I had a four-hour interview with her, talked to her relatives, to coach Sorochan’s wife. And after that we started working on the script.”

The lead roles in the film are played by Natalia Babenko (Oksana), Viktoria Levchenko (Olena, Oksana’s sister), Natalia Dolya (mother), Oleksandr Kobzar (father), Stanislav Boklan (coach Vitaliy Sorochan), Lilia Rebrik (coach Maria), Akhtem Seitablayev (doctor), Roman Yasynovsky (Dmytro, coach’s assistant), Maksym Samchyk (Max, Oksana’s boyfriend), and Sergiy Luzanovsky (Sergiy, Oksana’s friend).

“I am so happy I get to play this role. This is a person whose example you want to follow. It often happens that parents or society drag you away from your dream – don’t do it, you shouldn’t, this won’t bring any money. But my character keeps walking, regardless.  Usually the way towards real happiness is challenging. And I believe that each person should be happy. Should be like Oksana,” said actress Natalia Babenko playing the lead role in the film when she shared her thoughts about the athlete.  

Oksana Boturchuk herself actively participates in work on the project. The athlete consulted authors Yaroslav Voytseshek and Maksym Chernysh during the screenwriting stage. Besides, Oksana works with actors and the filming group to recreate the training process of professional athletes as close to real life as possible and also to demonstrate some nuances of motor function and behavior in a person who has partially lost her eyesight. 

According to film producer Egor Olesov, most filming is planned for March and July. ‘This is an incredibly powerful story able to really inspire. It is an example for many people to chase their dream, overcome any obstacles and win. According to the plot, the main events take place in Ukraine, but the deciding moment for Oksana comes at Paralympic Games in Beijing. That is why some scenes will be filmed in China. A professional and experienced team is working on the film, and we hope for a convincing result, welcoming the audience to the theatres the following year.” 

The film’s premiere is planned for early 2020. You can follow the project news on its official Facebook and Instagram pages.

PULSE

Genre: sports drama

Production: Kinorob

Synopsis: Due to a terrible car accident a young Ukrainian track-and-field athlete Oksana sustains numerous grave injuries and almost loses her eyesight. However, after a long rehabilitation and return to intensive training she wins a gold medal at Paralympics in Beijing.

Director: Sergii Chebotarenko

Producer: Egor Olesov

Cameraman: Yuriy Korol

Screenwriter: Yaroslav Voytseshek, Maksym Chernysh

Art director: Maria Ostrovska

Costume designers: Ruslan Khvastov, Kateryna Tolubko-Olesova

Makeup artist: Alla Leonova

Cast: Natalia Babenko (Oksana), Viktoria Levchenko (Olena, Oksana’s sister), Natalia Dolya (mother), Oleksandr Kobzar (father), Stanislav Boklan (coach), Lilia Rebrik (coach Iryna), Akhtem Seitablayev (doctor), Roman Yasynovsky (Dmytro), Maksym Samchyk (Max), Sergiy Luzanovsky (Sergiy), and others.