BESHOOT

ІЛОВАЙСЬК 2014

By Ivan TYMCHENKO

SVITLOFORFILM - as PROD

Drama - Completed 2019

Based on a true story. Two fighters of ‘Donbas’ Volunteer Battalion get locked inside city of Ilovaysk after regular Russian army enters Ukraine and shells the surrounded Ukrainian units. The fighters survive thanks to the help of the locals and manage to break back through the front line.

    • Year of production
    • 2019
    • Genres
    • Drama, Historical, Epic
    • Countries
    • UKRAINE
    • Languages
    • UKRANIAN, RUSSIAN, ENGLISH
    • Duration
    • 120 mn
    • Director(s)
    • Ivan TYMCHENKO
    • Producer(s)
    • Svitlana SOLOVYOVA (SVETOFOR FILM), Taras KOSTANCHUK (RONK FILM), Oleksandr SHCHERBYNA (PLATFORMA KINO)
    • Synopsis
    • Based on real events. The lead part of BESHOOT is played by the story protagonist, Taras Kostanchuk, himself. Half of the cast is Donbas battalion fighters who survived the battle.
      Summer of 2014. Ukrainian army is advancing into East with heavy combats. There are only few experienced fighters in ‘Donbas’ volunteer battalion leading this attack but they manage to overcome the resistance of the so called ‘militia’. The ultimate goal, the siege and liberation of Donetsk seems quite achievable. The last obstacle on their way is a small city of Ilovaysk.
      The commander of 'Donbas', BESHOOT, leads the fighters into the attack when suddenly exposed to a fierce resistance, having their first losses. There are not only the ‘militia’ are opposing but also Russian well equipped and trained military units. Most experienced soldiers of the group get killed in this fight. BESHOOT and QUENTIN are hiding in the nearest residential building. A 90-year-old lady PETROVNA allows the wounded soldiers to stay.
      Also, BESHOOT is being hunted for by the Russian commandant RUNKOV. He is in search of his son ALEXEY, who went to war as a 'militiaman' and was captured by ‘Donbas’ volunteers. RUNKOV strives to find BESHOOT alive or dead to exchange for his son.
      BESHOOT and QUENTIN get exposed by PETROVNA’s neighbor SVITLANA, who works in the commandant's office but hesitates to report the soldiers.
      On departure from Ilovaysk Ukrainian divisions are shelled by Russians despite so called ‘green corridor’, hundreds of military and civil people die. RUNKOV learns that his captured son ALEXEY is killed in the shelling. Illogically, RUNKOV puts the blame on BESHOOT and seeks for vengeance.
      Thanks to SVITLANA who falls in love with QUENTIN, BESHOOT finds the old friend’s local brother who agrees to help the fighters to get out of Ilovaysk.
      SVITLANA’s aunt VALENTINA recognizes the wanted "Ukrainian fascist" and reports him to RUNKOV. BESHOOT and QUENTIN manage to leave before RUNKOV breaks in with his hitmen.
      RUNKOV catches up with them in the ‘gray zone’ but is stopped by a local man, who gives BESHOOT his gun. Thus the fighters successfully finish their escape and return to their units.