Alexander Hutchings is a 49-year-old independent filmmaker based in Swindon. To that end, he’s created a moving short film, “Pralis” as his final student film for the New College documentary film program. This 12-minute fictional film beautifully marries fairy tale magic with the hard truth of the current war in Ukraine. Perhaps most significantly, it does so by powerfully entrenched understandings of notions of conflict, identity, and resilience.
Along with other responsibilities, Hutchings acted as producer, director, camera operator, and editor for the film. The documenting was shot in just five days in a stunning temperate rainforest located in Wiltshire. This breathtaking place made for a beautiful juxtaposition with the film’s heavy subject matter. After the shoot, Hutchings spent about a month on post-production to make sure “Pralis” was sending the right message.
Daniella Michel, a 23-year-old actress, became the scriptwriter for “Pralis.” She recently joined the ZipWorld team having first landed in Swindon from Ukraine on Boxing Day 2022. Michel’s personal experiences as a refugee during the war had a profound impact on her writings. She described the film as “a big chance to raise my voice on the invasion using the script and character to share the rage I—and my fellow Ukrainians—felt, and feel, about it.”
The film features an all-Ukrainian cast, modeled in part after Hutchings’ classmate Ihor Kuraliesin. This decision reinforces authenticity and creates a sense of cultural representation. The creative freedom given to the cast members in designing their costumes allowed them to represent their heritage intentionally through the designs they wore to represent Ukraine. The Ukrainian colors blue and yellow, echoed in the color palette of the movie, fill the frame.
Alongside Michel, the cast includes Tetiana Tymofeienko, 30, and Angelina Kosenko, 26, who contribute their talents to portray complex characters that reflect the emotional toll of war. Michel noted that writing the script has fortified her strength, stating, “The feelings of being forgotten, robbed, raped, and everything Ukrainians have been through and writing the script has made me stronger.”
With dangerously honest and beautiful prose, “Pralis” evokes moral questions rooted deeply in all of humanity during times of distress. It forces the audience to question the male character’s worldview. What if he realized the real, complex narrative playing out around him? Would he still do what he did?
This short film has recently been released on YouTube, making it available to a much larger audience to experience its impactful message. Hutchings and his team hope that “Pralis” will resonate with viewers and encourage dialogue about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
