After Winter melodrama filming ended

Alina Bukhtiyarova, director, told us why the actors had to wear jackets and coats in the heat of summer and how the filming was threatened by a rain shower…  

After Winter is a positive film telling us that it is never too late to change your life. This is what happens to Olga Grabina, the protagonist who has a heap of problems suddenly coming down on her practically on the same day. She loses her job and finds out about her husband’s cheating… Besides, she has to deal with the problems of her two almost grown-up daughters.

Project director Alina Bukhtiyarova speaks very warmly about her new work:

“The title is self-explanatory: after winter, spring always follows. So we shouldn’t fear changes especially those we cannot stop. In spite of older age and all life circumstances we should always be ourselves and turn our life around if necessary. And of course, it is never too late for love.”  

A film set is a place where magic looms and the most unusual moments happen. Alina told us that the most unexpected circumstance was the lockdown due to which they had to suspend the filming process.   

“When the lockdown was announced we had filmed exactly a half of what was planned. We started the process in March when it was cold outside and resumed it in summer heat. And when the film crew was walking around the set in T-shirts and shorts the actors had to wear jackets and coats.”  

Sometimes the weather also added challenges. One of important psychological scenes was filmed in the park: the protagonists are out on a walk, they start a frank conversation and then become closer. But the filming was disrupted by a rain shower! In this situation, the decision has to be made immediately.

“I went around the whole set looking for a roof or a canopy under which we could film but I couldn’t find anything suitable. And I had an idea that the scene could take place in a car as in real life it could rain at any moment! So the scene became even better: rain pouring over the windows, a car inside, and the long-awaited confession of characters,” says Alina.  

Just an addition: the lead roles were played by Dasha Volga, Prokhor Dubravin, Anna Serdyuk, Polina Nosykhina, Sergey Korshikov, and others. 

In the end the director told us what was the greatest for her during the filming:  

“It is great for the director when cool actors are in the shot and the filming process is very well organized. I was lucky because it was exactly like that! Actors felt each other and gave their all to our story, and I am very grateful to them for that. And a separate word of thanks goes to the film crew for fulfilling all the tasks accurately and supporting my ideas.”  

The premiere of After Winter four-episode melodrama will take place on Ukraina TV channel: we will inform about the date a bit later.

Director: Alina Bukhtiyarova

DOP: Dmitry Yurikov

Art director: Maksim Dimitrenko

Screenwriter: Maria Bek

Producers: Viktor Mirsky, Viktoria Korogod, Natalia Strybuk, Iryna Chernyak, Elena Malkova, Kirill Gorobets, Olga Solovyova.

Cast: Dasha Volga, Prokhor Dubravin, Sergey Korshikov, Anna Serdyuk, Polina Nosykhina, Elena Svetlitskaya, Maksim Devizorov, Natalya Doroshenko, Ekaterina Artemenko, Tatyana Yurikova, Denis Kapustin, and others.

After Winter is a positive film telling us that it is never too late to change your life. This is what happens to Olga Grabina, the protagonist who has a heap of problems suddenly coming down on her practically on the same day. She loses her job and finds out about her husband’s cheating… Besides, she has to deal with the problems of her two almost grown-up daughters.