New Delhi: Anastasia, a 10-year-old Ukrainian refugee living in Norway wants to go back to her country for Christmas. In his documentary, All I Want for Christmas, National Award-winning filmmaker Kamakhya Narayan Singh turns his gaze on Ukraine. The 42-minute film which was screened in Delhi on 16 December captures the life of a Ukrainian family, displaced from home and celebrating Christmas in Finland.
“As we are from a travel channel (Travel XP) and we have the channel in Ukraine, we thought of doing something for Ukraine,” said Singh, adding that people watch Travel XP in Ukraine.
Singh said there was a film called The Invasion on Ukraine-Russia war but we wanted to showcase the lives of people who have gone out of their country and how they travel.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine more than a thousand days ago has exacerbated the refugee crisis around the world. More than 6.7 million people from Ukraine have fled their homes to other countries.
“My family as well was separated for more than two years. I have seen my son only twice in the course of these two years of war,” said Oleksandr Polishchuk, Ambassador of Ukraine to India, who attended the screening. He added that Singh’s film served as a reminder of the profound impact of the “dispute”, especially on children.
The premier was hosted at the Finland Embassy in collaboration with Ukraine, Finland and Norway embassies and the Smile Foundation. The film is produced by Travelxp.
In the film, a young girl Anastasia celebrates Christmas in Finland with her mother. Her mother arranges a trip to Finland’s Lapland where she meets Santa Claus. Shot in Finland’s snowy landscapes, they did dog sledding in pristine landscape, swimming in the icy water. But it wasn’t home.
“The kids in Ukraine still want to have the miracle of Christmas. I hope that in the near future we will solve the problem which we have for the moment in Ukraine. And I’m quite sure that we will win together,” said Polishchuk.
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‘Travel is about Joy’
Anastasia’s journey to meet Santa Claus in Lapland is a bittersweet journey of healing, hope and the magic of Christmas.
Travel is about joy and festivals are also about joy, said Singh, who won a National Award for his 15-minute Hindi documentary, Justice Delayed but Delivered, on the effects of abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A in Jammu and Kashmir.
“One year ago, shooting this documentary in -18 degrees temperature was extremely challenging. However, the pain of displacement experienced by the people whose story I have covered, Ksenia and her daughter, Anastasia along with their bond and their emotions inspired to create it,” said Singh.
For Singh, telling and documenting the story of a family from a war-torn country was challenging as it was his first time shooting with a child.
Singh’s colleague and producer of the documentary and co-founder of Travelxp Nisha Chothani shared her vision for the project.
“We also wanted to show some joy and bring some joy to everybody’s life,” said Chothani, adding that at Travelxp we have always focused on showcasing destinations but this film emphasises the human stories behind those places.
Resilience and hope
The Finnish Ambassador said Ukraine is fighting for the free world and it deserves our unwavering support for as long as it takes.
“We are gathered to celebrate more than just the art of filmmaking. This event reflects our shared commitment to solidarity, compassion and the belief in a brighter future for everyone,” said Kimmo Lähdevirta, Ambassador of Finland to India.
“Finland remains firmly committed to supporting Ukraine as they defend their sovereignty and the fundamental rights of their people to live in peace and dignity,” said the Finnish Ambassador.
In one of the scenes, Ksenia and her daughter see the Ukrainian flag in Finland.
In one of the scenes, when Anastasia misses her country, her mother says everything will be fine. “I promise you, we will go back home someday.”
(Edited by Anurag Chaubey)