01
THE FILM
Dmitry, an 18 year old landed immigrant from Eastern Ukraine, is encouraged by Ivan, an older Ukrainian immigrant to carry out an act of violence in response to a personal insult. We follow Dmitry on his journey to confront Michael, the target of said vengeance, as he weighs his decision. By choosing the path of forgiveness and peace he crosses the bridge between the old world and into the new.
03
THE MISSION
NOTE FROM THE WRITER/DIRECTOR
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This story was inspired by Mr. V. Tatarenko, a friend and co-worker. Upon meeting him in mid 2013 he had a light air about him that inspired. As the situation in his homeland of Eastern Ukraine began to deteriorate it started to have a profound change on him. He spoke of the honour attacks that were happening in his home town of which his own parents were the victim of. They simply spoke the wrong language in the wrong area of town. Having no experience of this kind of behaviour I struggled to understand how this could ever be an issue.
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I began to imagine what kind of country Canada would be if this was happened here. What would our streets be like? How would we treat each other differently? How would our world view change? I asked Viktor what he thought about the situation and his response was that he was just happy to be in Canada as he knew that he would be involved in the fighting. Why? I asked. He said that it would be his obligation to take up arms against those against them, “How could I show my face if I did not?” It really struck me that this concept of honour and punishment was so ingrained that it was tied not just to some individuals but within the entire community as a whole. “How could I show my face...” if I did not seek vengeance? A powerful notion that I still grapple with as it is in direct contrast to the ideals of forgiveness and the rule of law in Canada.
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I knew that as the turmoil raged in Eastern Ukraine, so too did the angst amongst the diaspora here in Manitoba. The dinner time conversation around loved ones at home would be about loved ones at ‘home’ a world away. These new Canadians and particularly their children would have to decide what kind of country they would make Canada in their wake. This short film is an attempt to identify this struggle and ‘call out’ the negative response that I believe all humans have within them, to seek vengeance. It highlights the choice that we make when we put violence as a means of resolving conflict behind us and work for a better world.
02
THE FACTS
Funded as apart of the Winnipeg Film Group's First Film fund, Old World New (2017) features first time performances by Brandon, Mb.'s Dmitry Abdyiev, Dmitry Lupanchuk, Olesea Schidan and Trey Dornn. Miles S. Crossman wrote, directed and produced his first budgeted film on location in Brandon, MB.
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Story editing was done by Raindance International's Chistos Kardana and Louis Paxton along with Brandon's own Ryan Hrabluik. Generous funding was provided by Manitoba Film & Music.