Ukrainian War Anthology Series ‘Those Who Stayed’ Boarded By Nordic Networks
01.02.2023 - 14:03
/ deadline.com
EXCLUSIVE: A pair of Nordic networks have boarded Those Who Stayed, the Ukraine invasion anthology series we first told you about last year.
Public broadcasters SVT in Sweden and YLE in Finland have joined Film.UA and Red Arrow Studios International on the project as co-producers.
Shooting on the comedy-drama anthology is planned to begin in March. Three production crews are being readied to allow for a fast turnaround and delivery in autumn of 2023 or winter in early 2024.
The scripted series tells stories from the early days of Russia’s attack on neighbour Ukraine nearly a year ago. We first revealed details in August.
The anthology comedy/drama will focus on the immediate aftermath of the February 24 invasion, with each episode telling the story of a group of characters whose paths cross with characters from different episodes. These encounters will be used as easter eggs that will tease what’s coming next.
Those Who Stayed will showcase the work of one Ukrainian filmmaker per episode, with Koza Nostra writer Anastasiia Lodkina showrunning.
Lodkina will write episode one, titled ‘Family’, which Olexiy Esakov (director of Love in Chains) is directing. Artem Lytvynenko (The Sniffer) is writing and directing episode two, ‘In the Zoo’; Pavlo Ostrikov is behind episode three ‘Homeless’; Tala Prystaetska (writer and creator of Love in Chains) lead on episode four, ‘Mom, I’m Not Scared’; and Serhiy Luschyk is writing episode five, ‘Kyiv-Berlin’, with Valentyn Shpakov (Early Swallows) directing. Lodkina also writes episode six, ‘The Star in the City’, which Katya Tsarik is directing.
The stories include one about a celebrity who stays in Kyiv when his whole team runs, which was inspired by Andriy Danylko, known as Verka