| Homeward | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Nariman Aliev |
| Written by | Nariman Aliev,Marysia Nikitiuk |
| Starring | Akhtem Seitablaev |
| Edited by | Oleksandr Chornyi |
Release dates |
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Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | Ukraine |
| Languages | Crimean Tatar Ukrainian |
Homeward (Crimean Tatar:Evge,Ukrainian:Додому,Dodomu) is a 2019 Ukrainiandrama film directed byNariman Aliev.[1] It was screened in theUn Certain Regard section at the2019 Cannes Film Festival.[2] It was selected as the Ukrainian entry for theBest International Feature Film at the92nd Academy Awards, but it was not nominated.[3][4]
Crimean Tatars Mustafa and his son Alim clash after collecting the body of elder son Nazim, a casualty of theRusso-Ukrainian War.[5] The family's history with government displacement compel Mustafa on a pilgrimage to mourn and bury in Crimean Islamic tradition. The story starts from the morgue, then on a road trip in aJeep Cherokee fromKyiv to the volatileCrimean Peninsula. After the pair suffer sleep deprivation and irritability, the Jeep lands damaged in a ditch. Taking the vehicle to the closest auto shop, Alim meets the mechanic's grand daughter, a young Ukrainian girl who convinces him to go to the river. It is during this time the travelling party loses their wallet to a group of local boys. Alim and Mustafa become closer as they learn how to defend their passage and regain their lost possessions. Mustafa's illness is also revealed and worsens when the father and son arrive at Uncle Vasya's home. The home is not far from the family's original Crimean homeland, and Mustafa convinces Uncle Vasya to let him borrow a rowboat to complete the remaining segment of their passage.
Homeward has an approval rating of 77% onreview aggregator websiteRotten Tomatoes, based on 13 reviews, and an average rating of 6.2/10.[7]Collider andThe Guardian have named the film on lists of the best works of Ukrainian cinema.[8][9]